ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 and 23 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary and I represented the United Kingdom at a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 22 and 23 November 2004. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Ministers with responsibility for agriculture and fisheries were also present.
	The Council opened on the first day in office of the new Commission. The Council welcomed Commissioners Mariann Fischer-Boel, Markos Kyprianou and Joe Borg to their new posts.
	The Presidency secured qualified majority support for a political agreement on a compromise text updating the current rules on the welfare of animals during transport. I supported the proposal, which contains significant improvements to the current rules, including a strengthening of the enforcement rules in Europe, stricter rules for journeys of more than eight hours and new rules for the transport of horses. The proposal also sets out a clear timetable for the review of the new rules together with a commitment to address the issue of journey times, space allowances and rest periods no later than four years after they have come into effect.
	The Council had a lengthy exchange of views on reform in the sugar sector, based on the Commission's communication of July 2004. The Commission indicated that it would not make formal proposals until May or June next year when the result of the EU's appeal against a WTO panel ruling on the sugar regime had been received. The Commission would press for political agreement before the WTO Ministerial scheduled for Hong Kong in December 2005. A majority of member states were critical of the Commission's approach thus far and argued for minimal change, principally aimed at maintaining production in all those areas of the EU where it is currently found. I argued that the current regime was unsustainable and that reform was inescapable. The EU needed to honour its external obligations and I welcomed the Commission's commitment to bringing forward a draft action plan for assistance to the ACP countries by the end of the year.
	In a brief discussion of the rural development and CAP financing proposals, there was general support for the rural development measures, although concerns were expressed on a number of specific issues such as the proposed structure for the new regulation and the treatment of less favoured areas. I stressed the importance of further transfers to Pillar 2 measures, the case for a more objective allocation of funds and the need for equitable treatment of the non-euro member states. Discussion will continue at official level.
	The Presidency drew attention to its initiative for member states to co-operate on agricultural research in order to avoid duplication and to maximise value for money. I supported this initiative and expressed our readiness to co-operate with Luxembourg in taking it forward next year.
	Under Other Business, Estonia described its problems relating to a Russian ban on imports of plant material, Spain called for collaboration with Morocco in the field of animal health, Germany asked the Commission to bring forward legislation on the marketing of seeds of plant varieties of conservation importance, and Slovakia requested funding under the natural disasters heading following gales in the High Tatras national park.
	The Commission reported progress in the bilateral negotiations on a 2005 fisheries agreement with Norway. Good progress had been made in a first round of negotiations on 15–19 November, including provisional agreement on some of the more contentious issues. My hon. Friend and other member states congratulated the Commission on progress so far while underlining the importance of concluding the negotiations rapidly so that EU fishermen are able to fish in Norway waters from 1 January.
	The Council had a first debate on the Commission's proposals for a European Fisheries Fund (to replace the existing fund for structural improvements in the fisheries sector from 2007). My hon. Friend made clear that the proposal from certain other member states that this should provide for subsidies for fleet renewal would mean going back on a key plank of the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and was not acceptable. Discussions will continue next year.
	The Council reached agreement by qualified majority on a proposal to allocate quotas to deep sea species to certain new member states, based on a presidency compromise tabled at the meeting. Although the compromise went some way towards requests from the United Kingdom and others that new allocations should be on the same basis as allocation to the EU15, the UK abstained in the vote because the proposal had not cleared Parliamentary Scrutiny and because the Government have concerns about the management regime for deep sea species.
	The Council held a discussion on management measures for fisheries in the Baltic Sea.

Countryside Access (Consultation)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to publish the results of her consultation on four-wheel drive vehicles and access to the countryside on by-ways open to all traffic.

Alun Michael: I intend to publish the response to the consultation on the "Use of mechanically propelled vehicles on rights of way" in January.

Departmental Expenditure

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what budget has been set by her Department for (a) consumption of resources and (b) capital spending for (i) environmental protection, (ii) animal health and welfare, (iii) food, farming and fisheries, (iv) land use and rural affairs, (v) departmental operations, (vi) the Rural Payments Agency and (vii) other executive agencies for (A) 2005–06, (B) 2006–07 and (C) 2007–08.

Alun Michael: The 2004 departmental report (Cm 6219) shows financial breakdowns for departmental spending up to 2005–06. The information includes how budgets are allocated to deliver the department's functions and objectives. At present, final internal management decisions on budgets for 2006–07 and 2007–08 (plus revisions to 2005–06) are still being made. The next departmental report due to be published in spring 2005, will set out information on budgets up to 2007–08 and reflect any organisational changes which have been made over the last year.

Gangmasters

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 is expected to come fully into force.

Alun Michael: Since the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act received Royal Assent in July 2004, a Commencement Order has been laid before Parliament bringing into effect from 1 December 2004 those provisions in the Act which relate to the establishment of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority. Consultation on the draft Gangmaster Licensing Authority Regulations has been completed and it is anticipated that the regulations will be presented to the House for consideration immediately after Christmas. If the House is content, it should be possible to legally establish the Licensing Authority by 1 April 2005.
	Once established, the authority will need to develop and put in place licensing arrangements. This will include work to develop the conditions to be attached to a licence and the associated audit and compliance arrangements. We are working with stakeholders to ensure that the authority will be in a position to make early progress on these issues. We hope that the authority can start dealing with the first round of licence applications in 2005 with a view to completing the process of issuing first licences by mid 2006.
	In the mean time, the Code of Practice launched recently by the Ethical Trading Initiative Temporary Labour Working Group, provides an important opportunity for the whole food chain to show its commitment to a reduction in worker exploitation while work on the introduction of the statutory licensing arrangements proceeds in parallel.
	Once the first round of licence applications have been dealt with we will bring the offence of operating as a gangmaster without a licence into effect. At this stage all gangmasters will need to be licensed.

Land Reform

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for reform of land ownership in England.

Alun Michael: None.

Roadside Lighting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the reduction in (a) electricity use and (b) carbon dioxide emissions if all roadside lighting in the UK were to switch to LED illuminations.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	The light output and efficiency of high intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs) can now equal or better that of incandescent lamps. However, the light output is still significantly less than the gas discharge light sources used for street lighting, for example high pressure sodium. At present both electricity consumption and carbon dioxide emissions would increase if the UK switched to LEDs for street lighting.

Roadside Lighting

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total (a) electricity use and (b) carbon dioxide emissions produced by (i) roadside street lighting and (ii) other public illumination of roadside signage in the last year for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	Street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities in respect of local roads and the Highways Agency in respect of the trunk road network. The electricity supply for public lighting is not normally metered, but is based on notional lamp wattages and hours of use. The actual electricity consumption is therefore unknown. It is for local highway authorities to decide whence to source their electricity supply so, even if the power consumption could be established, calculations about the carbon dioxide emissions produced by street lighting would be impossible without knowing what proportion of authorities have contracted for "green" energy sources.

Rural Funding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how rural funding under the single farm payment will be implemented.

Alun Michael: The CAP reform package agreed in June 2003 allows modulated funds to be compulsorily transferred from farming subsidies to agri-environment and other rural development schemes in all EU member states. A 3 per cent. rate of compulsory EU modulation will apply to subsidy payments in 2005 rising to 5 per cent. from 2007. In addition the UK secured agreement to allow an additional voluntary modulation rate to be levied over and above the EU rate.

Rural Funding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for rural areas of the new rural funding scheme, with particular reference to North Yorkshire.

Alun Michael: As part of the Rural Strategy 2004 we announced a simplified funding framework which will be clearly focused on the key targets set out by the Secretary of State, particularly deprivation or social exclusion in rural areas and underperforming rural economies. Delivery will be devolved as much as possible. As a result of our work on the rural database, Defra funding will be better targeted at priorities, with greater regional partnership working and prioritisation. Customers and the public will face a less confusing situation and will receive better information and support in their dealings with our delivery agencies.

Rural Funding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which body will be the delivery body for the new rural funding scheme.

Alun Michael: The new rural funding framework we announced in Rural Strategy 2004 will have three core funds designed to support three departmental priorities. They are: sustainable rural communities; sustainable farming and food; and natural resource protection. Each will have a grant funding and a core (organisational capacity) funding element. In this framework, Regional Development Agencies will take the lead on regeneration and socio-economic funding, support for the rural voluntary and community sector will rest primarily with Rural Community Councils and their partners, supported by Government Offices, while the new Integrated Agency (also announced in Rural Strategy 2004) will deliver natural resource protection and environmental land-management funding.

Rural Funding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for parish plans of the streamlining process for rural funding.

Alun Michael: In Rural Strategy 2004 we announced that we would simplify our funding framework with delivery devolved as much as possible with parish and town councils playing an important role at the local level. The value of parish plans has been enhanced by the attention and support given to the work of parish and town councils by Ministers and officials at ODPM and Defra, not least through the qualification of clerks and the QUALITY Parish and Town Councils scheme. Having been promoted through pilot schemes on our behalf by the Countryside Agency, we are now working to "mainstream" the parish plan approach and to support further development through the future funding framework.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by her Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98.

Alun Michael: The responses to parts (a) , (b) and (c) of this question for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 are contained in the summary table.
	These details relate only to the core corporate courses delivered by external training providers.
	Defra is fully committed to providing access to training for its staff to enable them to deliver Defra's business and to develop them to their full potential.
	
		
			 Course title Number Cost (£) Location of courses 
		
		
			 Administrative Grades Development 26 81,344 Surrey, Bournemouth, Preston, York 
			 Advanced Presentation Skills 5 9,950 London 
			 Advanced Writing Skills 14 18,200 York, London 
			 Assertiveness, Pressure and Time Management 18 19,800 London, York, Worcester 
			 Basic Guide to the European Union 6 5,400 York, London 
			 Be a Better Manager 42 745,919 Derby, London, York, Worcester, Bristol 
			 Bespoke Administrative Skills 19 43,700 York, London, Reading, Crewe 
			 Bespoke Change Skills 34 78,200 London, York, Bournemouth, Workington, Cambridge 
			 Bespoke European Union 26 23,400 London, York 
			 Bespoke Writing for Ministers 17 28,900 York, London, Bristol, Weybridge 
			 Bespoke Skills 26 88,400 York, Workington, London, Taunton 
			 Bespoke Writing at Work 32 41,600 London, York, Workington 
			 Bite Size Learning 24 60,000 Workington, Reading, Exeter, London, Crewe, Nottingham, York 
			 Buddying 15 75,000 London 
			 Chairing a Meeting 17 10,200 London, York, Worcester 
			 Competence Based Interviewing 41 82,000 London, Polwhele 
			 Diversity and Equality for Specialists/SCS 21 66,499 Cambridge, London, York, Worcester 
			 Diversity and Equality Workshops 173 138,400 London, York, Cambridge, Leeds, Reading, Leicester, Alnwick, Taunton, Exeter, Bristol, Carlisle 
			 Effective and Rapid Reading 7 18,021 London, York 
			 Diversity for Grades 3 to 6 3 4,614 London 
			 European Union Negotiating 1 3,326 London 
			 Getting Your Message Across 7 10,276 London, Worcester 
			 How to get the most from your email 10 7,830 Cambridge, Crewe, York, Exeter, London 
			 Introduction to Agriculture 1 619 London 
			 Influencing Skills 19 29,640 York, London 
			 Interpersonal Skills 24 52,412 London, York, Leeds, Cambridge 
			 Introduction to the European Union 9 81,000 London, York 
			 Minutes of Meetings 25 15,000 London, York, Worcester, Leeds, Cambridge 
			 Managing and Making Change Happen 50 479,500 York, Worcester, Derby, Bournemouth, Harrogate, London 
			 New Entrant Induction 103 280,689 London, York, Guildford, Worcester, Reading, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter, Leicester, Derby 
			 New Managers 97 535,573 Worcester, Bournemouth, London, York, Derby, Guildford, Bristol, Exeter, Leicester 
			 Performance Appraisal Management 812 544,382 London, York, Worcester, Leicester, Gloucester, Edinburgh, Reading, Bristol, Derby, Exeter 
			 Personal Development for EOs 4 31,248 Preston, Bournemouth, Guildford, Midlands, London 
			 Performance Appraisal Training 350 267,943 All Defra locations 
			 Presentation Skills 12 29,940 London, Worcester, 
			 Principled Practical Leadership 20 828,843 Oxford, London 
			 Project Awareness 9 55,800 London 
			 Project Management 9 18,000 London, York 
			 Promotion Board Interviewing Skills 1 2,000 London 
			 Senior Civil Service Interviewing Skills 2 4,000 London 
			 Selection Board Interviewing Skills 8 48,000 Weybridge, London, Worcester 
			 Staff Reporting and Appraisal 5 6,000 London, Cambridge 
			 Strategic Leadership 1 4,500 London 
			 Stress Awareness 11 15,400 York, Worcester, London 
			 Supervisory Skills for AOs 21 84,000 Leeds, Worcester, London, York 
			 Women Managers Development 13 31,514 York, London 
			 Writing at Work 23 27,600 Leeds, York, London, Cambridge 
			 Writing for Ministers 23 18,400 Cambridge, York, London 
			 Total 2,236 5,152,982 —

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997–98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Alun Michael: The total financial penalties paid equates to 1.4 per cent. of the £5,152,982 total spent on core corporate learning and development in Defra during financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04.
	
		
			  Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000–01 14,577.28 
			 2001–02 (1)46,148.75 
			 2002–03 727.66 
			 2003–04 11,147.75 
			 Total 72,601.44 
		
	
	(1) The increased penalties paid in financial year 2001–02 can largely be attributed to the disruption to staff caused by the foot and mouth crisis.

TRANSPORT

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department's commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age is set out clearly in its equal opportunities policy.
	We are undertaking a study of the implications for the Department of the forthcoming legislation on age discrimination. Following the study we will prepare a programme of diversity/equality training for managers, and guidance addressing age discrimination.
	We have taken steps to introduce flexibility around retirement age: members of the Department below the Senior Civil Service now have the option to remain in work until 65.

Bus Shelters

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on the (a) replacement and (b) repair of damaged bus shelters in each of the last three years.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport does not collect the information requested. The maintenance of bus shelters is a matter for local transport authorities and their private sector partners.

Bus Shelters

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new bus shelters have been built in each year since 1996–97; how many shelters were upgraded in each year; and how many have been removed during that time.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport does not collect information of the sort requested. An answer could, therefore, be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Under-Secretary of State on 21 May 2004, Official Report, column 1231W, to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink).

Departmental Advertising

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kinds of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department's main publicity campaign is the THINK! road safety campaign, which is promoted primarily through TV and radio advertising. We have placed very little press advertising to support THINK! since the Department was formed in 2002 and did not target Muslim newspapers specifically.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers, special advisers and officials in his Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Charlotte Atkins: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The Department for Transport was created on 29 May 2002. It is not possible to provide figures before this date.
	The number of mobile phones used by Ministers and special advisers is as follows:
	
		
			  Ministers Special advisers 
		
		
			 2002 3 2 
			 2003 4 2 
			 2004 4 2 
		
	
	As the Department does not maintain central records of mobile phones it is not possible to provide further information except at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Telephones

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their personal use for (i) domestic calls and (ii) international calls; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: Staff have guidance setting out their responsibilities not to misuse the telephone, e-mail and internet systems. In order to ensure that the systems are not abused and that the Department's security is not compromised, the Department may monitor, calls from time to time.
	Access to all international numbers is only granted to staff who have a business need to make such international calls. Calls to premium cost networks such as premium rate numbers and some foreign mobile networks are barred completely.

Departmental Telephones

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures have been taken to ensure the telephones in his Department are not used by staff for making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers.

Charlotte Atkins: Access to all international numbers is only granted to staff who have a business need to make such international calls. Daily call logging reports are provided which highlight the longest and highest cost calls. As a result, some staff have been made to refund the cost of high cost personal calls. Calls to premium cost networks, such as premium rate numbers and some foreign mobile networks, are barred completely.

Driving Tests

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average length of time is between receipt of an application for a (a) theory driving test and (b) practical driving test and the date of the test in (i) Southwark, (ii) Greater London and (iii) England; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The information is as follows:
	(a) Theory Tests
	
		Days
		
			 Centre/area Average time between booking and test (A) Average time between preferred date and test (B) 
		
		
			 Southwark 25 7 
			 London and south east area 20 4 
			 England 18 2 
		
	
	Many candidates prefer to book their theory test some time in advance, as the above data illustrates. Therefore, the average time between booking date and test (shown in column (A)) does not represent the length of time candidates must wait before they may take a test. The average waiting time is more accurately reflected by measuring the number of days between appointment date requested and appointed date allocated (column (B)).
	The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) does not analyse data for Greater London as a discrete area. Figures given, therefore, relate to the London and south east area.
	(b) Practical Car Tests
	
		
			 Centre/area Average waiting time (weeks) 
		
		
			 Hither Green DTC 10 
			 South Norwood DTC 11 
			 London and south east area . 10.4 
			 Great Britain 7.5 
		
	
	There is no practical driving test centre (DTC) at Southwark. The nearest test centres are located at Hither Green and South Norwood. DSA does not analyse data for Greater London as a discrete area. Figures given, therefore, relate to the London and south east area. Data for practical tests is not readily available for England as distinct from other countries in Great Britain. DSA has a target to maintain a national average waiting time for car practical tests of six weeks and is seeking to reduce the current figure to target.

Lifeline Flights

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the areas in the UK that should benefit from public service obligations for lifeline flights.

Charlotte Atkins: The Government have recently consulted with stakeholders on the interpretation of the criteria outlined in the European Regulation governing Public Service Obligations (PSOs). We aim to publish guidance next year on the interpretation of those criteria in establishing PSOs to London airports.

Motorways

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the (a) lane closure and (b) roadworks on the M62 between junctions 35 and 38 will finish.

David Jamieson: The roadworks on the M62 between junctions 35 and 38 are currently being carried out using a contraflow system. The westbound carriageway is closed and traffic is being directed onto the eastbound carriageway.
	In the week commencing 6 December there will be a lane two and three closure eastbound in place followed by a westbound lane three closure. The roadworks are due for completion on 10 December, subject to weather conditions.

Motorways

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the first motorway picnic area to be operative under the provisions of clause 40 of the Road Safety Bill.

David Jamieson: Once the Road Safety Bill has completed its passage through Parliament, the Secretary of State for Transport will have the authority under Clause 40 to establish a motorway rest area. It is expected that this could be by July 2005. The first picnic area could then be operative, subject to obtaining the appropriate planning consents and the availability of funding, by summer 2008.

Motorways

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorway services are operating; and what plans the Government has to increase the number.

David Jamieson: There are currently 69 motorway service areas operating in England. Since 1992 it has been Government policy that the private sector should be responsible for bringing forward proposals for motorway service stations through the planning system. Consequently, any increase in the number of motorway service areas would be through commercial development.

Railways

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact the designation of the Grantham to Skegness branch line as a Community Rail Line pilot will have on (a) maintenance funding, (b) service improvement, (c) freight traffic and (d) improving facilities at stations along the line.

Tony McNulty: The Grantham to Skegness line is proposed as a pilot scheme under the Government's Community Rail Development Strategy. The objectives of the strategy are to provide a strategic framework for local and rural lines within which they can develop and be put on a sustainable basis for the medium to long term through increasing ridership, freight use and net revenue, managing costs down and greater involvement from the local community. The purpose of the pilot projects is to test the deliverability of these objectives. The scope of each pilot will be determined as the remit for each is developed with the relevant local authorities, Rail Passengers Committee, rail operators and other funding partners.

Railways

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions are available to support existing community rail line projects should they fail to secure adequate funding through businesses, charities and Government agencies.

Tony McNulty: Support for services on lines proposed for designation as Community Railways is provided through the franchise agreement with the relevant train operator. It is always open to stakeholders along a rail corridor to provide additional support for the further development of the local rail service, such as more services or enhancement projects. One of the aims of the Community Rail Development Strategy is to provide a structure for making use of such resources.

Road Safety

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been (a) killed and (b) injured in accidents on the roads where alcohol was a contributory factor in each of the last five years; in what percentage of road traffic accidents alcohol was a contributory factor, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Estimates of the number of casualties in accidents where at least one driver was over the legal drink drive limit are shown in the following table.
	
		Estimates of casualties in accidents involving illegal alcohol levels: GB 19992003(2) -- Casualties/accidents/percentages
		
			  Drink drive accidents 
			  Number killed Number injured(3) Drink/drive accidents All accidents Drink/drive as percentage of all accidents 
		
		
			 1999 460 16,450 11,050 235,048 4.7 
			 2000 530 17,530 11,800 233,729 5.0 
			 2001 530 18,240 12,270 229,014 5.4 
			 2002 550 19,550 13,150 221,751 5.9 
			 2003(2) 560 18,450 12,400 214,030 5.8 
		
	
	(2) Provisional data.
	(3) Includes serious and slight casualties.

Road Safety

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was to each police authority of policing accidents in which alcohol was a contributory factor in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The information requested is not available.

Road Safety

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what evidence he has assessed that shows that drivers who use speed assessment equipment detection devices have a worse accident record than those who do not;
	(2)  what evidence he has assessed which shows that the provisions of Clause 17 of the Road Safety Bill will enhance road safety.

David Jamieson: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Clause 17 gives the Secretary of State the power to prohibit the fitting of, or the use of vehicles carrying, speed assessment equipment detection devices. It defines such devices as a device one or more of whose purposes is to interfere with or detect the operation of equipment used to assess the speed of motor vehicles. The precise subset of the devices which will be prohibited will be identified in regulations.
	The Government do not intend to prohibit the use of equipment which usefully gives drivers information on the location of published camera sites and does not detect or interfere with the operation of speed assessment equipment. Thus complementing the measures we took in 2001 to ensure that camera sites are visible and conspicuous to drivers, and so help deter excessive and inappropriate speeds on the roads.
	The sole purpose of detection devices to be covered by the proposed law is to tell drivers when they can break speed limits and get away with it. This is unacceptable, prevents the police from carrying out their duties, and is a danger to other law-abiding drivers and road users.
	There is overwhelming evidence from both UK and international literature that speeding results in more collisions and more severe casualties. As regards safety cameras, the evidence from the independent review of the safety camera programme by University College London and PA Consulting found that cameras significantly reduced the number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites. This evidence demonstrates why the provisions of Clause 17 of the Bill would enhance road safety.

Rural Bus Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding will be provided for rural bus services in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: Allocations from this Department to local authorities of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) will total 53 million in 200506. We have recently written to local authorities advising them of their individual allocations.
	The provisional RBSG totals for 200607 and 200708 are 54.3 million and 55.6 million respectively.
	In addition, expenditure on existing Rural Bus Challenge projects is estimated to total 38 million over the next three years.
	Local authorities also support rural bus services using funds from their Revenue Support Grant.

Stations (Crime)

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes have been committed at stations that meet secure station status in each year since the scheme's inception.

Tony McNulty: The British Transport Police have provided the following information on crimes recorded at stations in the secure stations scheme, for any given year in the period 200004 when a station held accreditation. Data is not readily available for earlier than 2000.
	
		
			  Crimes recorded at secure stations Number of secure stations 
		
		
			 200001 16,351 84 
			 200102 22,735 128 
			 200203 30,077 167 
			 200304 31,815 174 
			 1 April 200431 October 2004 17,908 168 
		
	
	In reading the above data, the following factors should be considered:
	(i) These figures contain all crimesthis includes both notifiable and non-notifiable crimes. The latter includes byelaw offences, minor disorder etc.
	(ii) The statistics represent full year data not data from the time of accreditation.
	(iii) The data refers to crimes discovered and reported at the Station (i.e. not actually occurred at the station but in the surrounding area) as well as crimes committed on the station.
	(iv) The new crime recording standards were implemented in 200203 and will have an adverse impact on crime statistics from that period.
	(v) The period of accreditation lasts for two years. A number of listed stations have not applied for re-accreditation and therefore do not now fall under the secure station scheme.

Timber

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the refurbishment projects in his Department's premises that (a) are in progress and (b) will be starting in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Charlotte Atkins: In the central Department there is only one significant refurbishment project currently under way, or due to begin in the next six months, involving timber products and this is the replacement of furniture, stud partitioning and doors in Great Minster House. For the partitioning and furniture we will be using the call-off contracts managed by OGC which take account of Government polices on sustainable and legal timber. The doors will be modified and re-used.
	More generally in the Department purchasers are reminded regularly of the requirement to purchase legal and sustainable timber and are provided with advice to assist them in purchasing sustainable timber, including the Office of Government Commerce Information Notes 9/2002 and 5/2004.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 199798.

Charlotte Atkins: The information is not collected centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 199798 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department was formed 29 May 2002, so the information in this answer only relates to the period from that date. We are not aware centrally of any financial penalties borne by the Department as a result of cancellation of work prepared by external suppliers.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Advertising

Keith Vaz: To ask the Leader of the House in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kinds of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers.

Peter Hain: The Privy Council Office provides administrative support for my Office.
	My Office does not have a policy of advertising in either the local or national media.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Leader of the House how many written questions for his Office were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 200304 Session.

Peter Hain: Three.
	The three questions were tabled in September 2004.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Office between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 and when each appeal was lodged.

Peter Hain: None.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Office's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Peter Hain: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Charles Clarke: My Department's commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age is set out clearly in its equal opportunities policy.
	The DfES aspires to be an exemplar equal opportunities employer, creating a workplace that values diversity, is free from any form of unfair discrimination including age, and where all staff have an equal opportunity to meet their aspirations, realise their full potential and improve their life chances.
	My Department already allows its staff to remain in employment until the age of 65 and will be reviewing all of its HR policies and practices to take account of the introduction of legislation on age discrimination. My officials monitor the Department's progress to ensure that we are succeeding and will also ensure that all managers and staff are made aware of the new legislation and its implications for the Department.

Building Schools for the Future

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the local authorities which applied for wave (a) 2 and (b) 3 of the Building Schools for the Future programme whose bids were not accepted for prioritisation; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Building Schools for the Future is our long-term programme to provide 21st-century facilities for all secondary pupils. We invited local authorities to submit proposals for wave 1 of Building Schools for the Future and/or expressions of interest for the rest of the programme, including waves 2 and 3, All local authorities with secondary schools did so.
	It is our ambition that, by 2011 and subject to public spending reviews, 60 per cent. of all authorities should have major rebuilding or remodelling projects (at least three schools), and that all the others will have the resources to tackle their secondary schools in greatest need (at least one school). By 2016, our ambition is that major rebuilding or remodelling projects (at least three schools) will have started in every authority. In 15 waves from 200506, we aim for every secondary school that needs it to be replaced or upgraded,
	The following lists alphabetically local authorities that have expressed interest in being included In Building Schools for the Future and that win be prioritised from wave 4 onwards.
	Barking and Dagenham
	Barnet
	Bath and North-east Somerset
	Bedfordshire
	Bexley
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Blackpool
	Bolton
	Bournemouth
	Bracknell Forest
	Brent
	Brighton and Hove
	Bromley
	Buckinghamshire
	Bury
	Calderdale
	Cambridgeshire
	Camden
	Cheshire
	Cornwall
	Coventry
	Croydon
	Cumbria
	Darlington
	Derby
	Devon
	Doncaster
	Dorset
	Dudley
	Ealing
	East Riding of Yorkshire
	East Sussex
	Enfield
	Essex
	Gloucestershire
	Halton
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Hampshire
	Harrow
	Hartlepool
	Havering
	Herefordshire
	Hertfordshire
	Hillingdon
	Hounslow
	Isle of Wight
	Isles of Scilly
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Kingston upon Thames
	Kirklees
	Leicestershire
	Lincolnshire
	Medway
	Merton
	Milton Keynes
	Norfolk
	Northamptonshire
	North Somerset
	North Tyneside
	North Yorkshire
	North-east Lincolnshire
	Northumberland
	Nottinghamshire
	Oldham
	Oxfordshire
	Peterborough
	Plymouth
	Poole
	Portsmouth
	Reading
	Redbridge
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Richmond upon Thames
	Rochdale
	Rotherham
	Rutland
	St. Helen's
	Sefton
	Shropshire
	Slough
	Somerset
	South Gloucestershire
	Southampton
	Southend-on-Sea
	Staffordshire
	Stockport
	Stockton on Tees
	Suffolk
	Surrey
	Sutton
	Swindon
	Thurrock
	Torbay
	Telford and Wrekin
	Trafford
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Wandsworth
	Warrington
	Warwickshire
	West Berkshire
	West Sussex
	Wigan
	Wiltshire
	Windsor and Maidenhead
	Wirral
	Wokingham
	Wolverhampton
	Worcestershire
	York

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Charles Clarke: My Department's equal pay analysis of 2002 pay identified no statistically significant variations in pay between genders and the minor differences identified were addressed in the three year pay deal 20032005.
	My Department's gender analysis of the 2003 pay award identified no sign of any bias in the results.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many extra 16 to 18-year-olds he expects to stay in education as a result of the education maintenance allowance in Cambridge.

Ivan Lewis: Since the start of the academic year, as of 31 October 2004, 1,207 young people in the Cambridgeshire local authority area have received payments under the national EMA scheme. The number is increasing at a steady rate and we expect it to continue to do so. In 2004/05 across England we expect the number of 16 to 18-year-olds participating in education to increase by 35,000 (3.8 percentage points) as a direct result of EMA. By 2006/07, when EMA is available to all eligible 16 to 18-year-olds, an additional 72,000 young people will be in further education. If the same participation increase is applied to the east of England region an additional 7,900 16 to18-year-olds will be participating in further education by 2006/07. Estimates are not available at local authority level.

Education Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills with which companies (a) producing and (b) distributing video games he has held discussions on financing educational facilities.

Charles Clarke: I have not held any meetings with companies (a) producing or (b) distributing video games in which we have discussed any specific proposals for financing educational facilities.
	My Department maintains a working relationship with representatives from the games industry and is keen to find opportunities for collaboration, and ways of using games technologies to create innovative educational content.
	As part of this overall approach, I hosted a discussion on 2 November 2004 for some of those involved in the video games industry, including relevant trade associations.

School Playing Fields

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school playing fields have been sold in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Stephen Twigg: Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced in England on 1 October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields that occurred in the 1980s and early to mid 1990s. As the legislation only applies to England, we have no records of how many school playing fields have been sold in Wales. The sale of school playing fields in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.
	Applications to sell school playing fields are only approved where it is clear that any proceeds will be used to improve school sports provision or education facilities. All applications made since 16 July 2001 are scrutinised by the independent School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to make sure that they meet our published criteria. The Panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Local Government Association.
	The figures requested are shown in the following table. In 15 of these 109 applications new or replacement sports pitches of the same size or greater were to be bought from the proceeds. A further 41 applications involved land at closed or closing school sites and in 39 of the remaining 53 cases, the proceeds are to be used to improve sports facilities, such as new all-weather pitches, sports halls or improved grass sports pitches. In the remaining 12 cases, the proceeds are to provide better education facilities at schools, such as new classrooms and performing arts facilities.
	
		
			 Calendar year Sports pitch applications approved 
		
		
			 2000 32 
			 2001 22 
			 2002 24 
			 2003 17 
			 2004 (to 26 November) 14 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The table comprises applications from local authorities, foundation, voluntary and former grant-maintained schools to sell school playing fields capable of forming at least a small sports pitch.
	2. All sale proceeds are to be used to provide new or improved sports or education facilities at maintained schools.
	3. Sports pitch means an area of open grassed land which is equal to, or larger than, the Football Association's recommended 2,000m(4) area for games played by under-10s and which has a configuration making it suitable for sports, whether laid out as a sports pitch or not.

Vocational Education/Training

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to expand vocational education and training for adults in Cambridge.

Ivan Lewis: The responsibility for local education and training provision rests with the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom the Council's Chief Executive will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

TREASURY

Census

John Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates since 1 January when he and his Ministers discussed with the Department for Constitutional Affairs the change in revenue that might occur if arrangements were not made immediately to approve an 80-year closure period for decennial population censuses for England and Wales; and what estimate he has made of the (a) gross and (b) net revenue in the next decade from the 1911 and 1921 censuses being released online as soon as practicable.

Stephen Timms: It is government policy that all decennial census returns should remain closed for 100 years. This is in order that public confidence continues to be maintained through the confidentiality assurances that are provided when citizens are required to complete their census forms.
	It would be premature to consider what revenue might be raised from making the 1911 and 1921 censuses available online so far in advance of their release dates. There have been no meetings between Treasury and DCA Ministers on this matter and it would not be appropriate to prepare revenue estimates at this time.

Departmental Efficiency Technical Notes

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the departmental Efficiency Technical Notes (ETN) required by the report, Releasing Resources to the FrontlineIndependent Review of Public Sector Efficiency, were submitted to (a) the National Audit Office and (b) the Audit Commission for scrutiny; on what date each first draft was submitted for scrutiny; how many submissions of subsequent drafts there were for each ETN, broken down by Department and on what dates each were submitted; on what date each was signed off by the (i) National Audit Office and (ii) Audit Commission; if he will make a statement on the nature of the outstanding concerns of the National Audit Office and the Audit Commission over those ETNs not yet signed off; and when he expects sign-off to be achieved.

Stephen Timms: The NAO and Audit Commission provided advice to central Government on draft ETNs submitted by Departments in September 2004, against agreed criteriaclarity of savings, measurement methods, data quality, service continuity, and readability. Departments subsequently published their ETNs at the end of October 2004. The NAO and Audit Commission will be asked to provide further scrutiny but have not been asked to sign off the content of ETNs. The scrutiny covered the main Departments of Government, namely Cabinet Office, Crown Prosecution Service, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Education and Skills, Department for International Development, Department for Transport, Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, Department for Work and Pensions, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Treasury, Ministry of Defence, Northern Ireland Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (for both main programmes and local government).

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years.

Stephen Timms: Information concerning ministerial cars in the financial year 200203 was given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 13 November 2003, Official Report, columns 39798W. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has asked the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to write to the hon. Member with details of the cost of ministerial vehicles in 200304.
	Expenditure on taxis is estimated to have been 163,000 in 200203 and 151,000 in 200304.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Stephen Timms: Energy costs in 1 Horse Guards Road reduced by 15 per cent. over the last two years.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Stephen Timms: HM Treasury, the Office of Government Commerce, the Royal Mint, the Government Actuary's Department, the Debt Management Office, the Office for National Statistics and National Savings and Investments do not own any empty properties.
	Inland Revenue, HM Customs and Excise and the Valuation Office Agency sold their freehold properties to Mapeley on 2 April 2001 as part of the STEPS PFI contract. Mapeley have assumed responsibility for these since then, irrespective of whether the properties are empty or occupied.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what crche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Stephen Timms: The Treasury does not provide any crche facilities. The Department is a member of the Westminster Holiday Playscheme, which operates during school holidays and is open to children aged 4 years 9 months to 12. The Treasury has two bespoke playscheme rooms, which can cater for up to 18 children. The cost per child is 30 a day and the Treasury subsidises the costs by 60 per cent. The total subsidy to Treasury parents using the playscheme is 4,100.
	The Treasury also supports the child care cost of eligible staff. Staff who work full time receive 40.00 per week per family, part timers receive a pro-rated amount.
	85 staff members receive child care vouchers. The total cost of child care vouchers, since the scheme was introduced in January 2004 is 134,000.

Labour Statistics

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people over 65 were in employment in each metropolitan authority and county area in the North East region in each year from 1997 to 2004;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of 50 to 65-year-olds were economically inactive in (a) the North East region, and (b) each (i) metropolitan authority and (ii) county area within the North East region in each year from 1997 to 2003.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 8 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about employment and economic inactivity. (202680, 202681)
	The attached table provides the information requested.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Economic activity in the North East region and each metropolitan authority and county area 12-month period ending in February each year United Kingdom
		
			  1997 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 147 42.0 22 
			 
			 Darlington UA 3 24.7 (8) 
			 Durham UA 31 42.7 4 
			 Gateshead 11 40.7 2 
			 Hartlepool UA 6 44.4 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA9 55.9 (8) 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne13 41.1 3 
			 North Tyneside 9 32.5 (8) 
			 Northumberland 16 37.5 5 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA10 44.1 1 
			 South Tyneside 8 44.5 2 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA9 41.7 1 
			 Sunderland 19 51.1 1 
		
	
	
		
			  1998 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 153 42.7 19 
			 
			 Darlington UA 5 38.3 (8) 
			 Durham UA 32 44.5 4 
			 Gateshead 12 40.4 2 
			 Hartlepool UA 5 42.3 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA8 42.1 (8) 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne15 42.2 3 
			 North Tyneside 10 38.6 1 
			 Northumberland 20 42.9 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA11 43.9 (8) 
			 South Tyneside 7 35.2 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA9 37.1 1 
			 Sunderland 20 51.6 1 
		
	
	
		
			  1999 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 157 42.9 21 
			 
			 Darlington UA 5 33.1 (8) 
			 Durham UA 33 43.6 6 
			 Gateshead 12 42.8 1 
			 Hartlepool UA 5 41.1 (8) 
			 Middlesbrough UA7 36.5 2 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne10 33.9 3 
			 North Tyneside 12 38.1 1 
			 Northumberland 19 40.3 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA12 56.4 (8) 
			 South Tyneside 9 44.3 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA11 42.0 (8) 
			 Sunderland 22 55.0 1 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 156 41.9 24 
			 
			 Darlington UA 7 38.6 2 
			 Durham UA 29 40.3 6 
			 Gateshead 13 42.4 1 
			 Hartlepool UA 5 37.8 (8) 
			 Middlesbrough UA7 33.6 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne7 26.2 2 
			 North Tyneside 12 35.5 2 
			 Northumberland 22 43.6 5 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA13 59.3 1 
			 South Tyneside 10 43.8 2 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA10 43.8 (8) 
			 Sunderland 22 52.1 3 
		
	
	
		
			  2001 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 150 39.8 23 
			 
			 Darlington UA 5 34.6 1 
			 Durham UA 31 40.1 4 
			 Gateshead 11 37.0 1 
			 Hartlepool UA6 47.7 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA8 44.3 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne10 33.7 2 
			 North Tyneside10 35.1 2 
			 Northumberland 19 37.1 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA10 44.4 1 
			 South Tyneside10 45.2 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA10 36.9 1 
			 Sunderland 20 46.0 2 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 151 39.5 21 
			 
			 Darlington UA5 36.0 1 
			 Durham UA 33 40.0 4 
			 Gateshead 10 33.1 1 
			 Hartlepool UA5 43.6 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA8 43.1 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne12 36.2 2 
			 North Tyneside10 33.5 1 
			 Northumberland 19 37.7 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA10 42.7 1 
			 South Tyneside9 43.7 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA11 39.1 1 
			 Sunderland 19 46.8 2 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 151 39.1 20 
			 Darlington UA6 37.0 1 
			 Durham UA 35 43.7 3 
			 Gateshead 11 38.4 1 
			 Hartlepool UA7 47.2 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA8 46.7 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne14 41.3 2 
			 North Tyneside10 33.5 1 
			 Northumberland 16 30.3 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA9 40.9 1 
			 South Tyneside9 43.6 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA9 33.2 1 
			 Sunderland 17 39.7 2 
		
	
	
		
			  2004 
			  Number of economically inactive people aged 50 to 64 years(5) (000s) Inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 years(6) (%) Number of people in employment aged 65 years and over(7) (000s) 
		
		
			 North East 149 38.4 23 
			 
			 Darlington UA5 35.6 1 
			 Durham UA 34 41.1 4 
			 Gateshead 11 40.0 2 
			 Hartlepool UA6 42.8 1 
			 Middlesbrough UA7 39.6 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne14 40.3 3 
			 North Tyneside10 35.1 1 
			 Northumberland 15 28.8 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA10 43.5 1 
			 South Tyneside10 42.6 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA9 34.3 1 
			 Sunderland 18 41.8 3 
		
	
	(5) Economically inactive refers to women aged 50 to 59 and men aged 50 to 64 who are neither employed nor unemployed.
	(6) The rates are based on people aged 50 to 64 who are economically inactive as percentage of total population in the relevant age group.
	(7) Refers to men aged 65 to 99 women aged 60 to 99.
	(8) Estimates not available because sample size is too small.
	Note:
	Some estimates are based on smaller sample sizes and are therefore subject to a higher degree of sampling variability. They should be treated with caution and, in particular, changes from year to year should not be used in isolation from the figures for a run of years.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Labour Statistics

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the employment rate is of women in couples where the woman's partner (a) does not work and (b) does work.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Willetts, dated 8 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment. I am replying in his absence. (203166)
	Among couples who were both of working age (i.e. men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59) the employment rates for the female partners were: (a) 42.3% for those whose male partner was not in employment; and (b) 79.4 % for those whose male partner was in employment.
	These estimates come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and apply to the three months ending May 2004. As with any statistical sample survey the LFS estimates are subject to sampling error.

Inheritance Tax

John Grogan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the total amount of relief from inheritance tax granted in respect of agricultural land in North Yorkshire was in each of the past five years;
	(2)  in how many cases relief from inheritance tax was granted in North Yorkshire in each of the past five years;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the eligibility criteria for the granting of relief from inheritance tax.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number and value of assets relieved of inheritance tax in the UK is published in Table 12.2 of Inland Revenue Statistics 2004 at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/tablel22.xls/. A regional breakdown is not available.
	The eligibility criteria for inheritance tax reliefs depend on the particular relief. Agricultural property relief is available for land (including qualifying farmhouses and cottages) which has been owned by the transferor, and occupied for farming, for at least seven years, or two years for owner occupiers. Inland Revenue booklet IHT17 gives more information and is available at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/leaflets/iht.htm.

International Finance Facility

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) G7 and (b) G21 countries need to support the International Finance Facility for it to be launched.

Stephen Timms: The number of donor countries needed depends on the size of the commitment individual countries are willing to make. Clearly, a critical mass of donors is needed to achieve the gains of scale and predictability.

MRSA

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often the MRSA virus was listed as a cause of death on a death certificate in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Derek Wyatt, dated 8 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how often the MRSA virus was listed as a cause of death on a death certificate in the most recent period for which figures are available. (201518)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2002. The number of deaths in England and Wales in that year where the MRSA bacterium was mentioned anywhere on death certificates was 800. The method used for obtaining this figure was published in a report in Health Statistics Quarterly in spring 2004. 1
	Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation on the completion of death certificates requires only those conditions that contribute to death to be recorded.
	1 Griffiths C, Lamagni TL, Crowcroft NS, Duckworth G and Rooney C (2004) Trends in MRSA in England and Wales: analysis of morbidity and mortality data for 19932002. Health Statistics Quarterly 21, 1522.

PISA Survey

Nick Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  for what reason the Office for National Statistics did not supply sufficient data to the OECD for their 2003 PISA survey; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which official in his Department was responsible for collating data for the OECD PISA survey 2003.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 8 December 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to two of your recent Parliamentary Questions on the 2003 PISA survey. (203174 and 203176)
	PISA is a survey co-ordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which was conducted in 41 countries in 2003. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) conducted the survey in England and Wales on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency in Northern Ireland on behalf of Department of Education, Northern Ireland. The survey in Scotland was conducted by the Scottish Centre for Research in Education on behalf of the Scottish Executive.
	The survey involves a two-hour written assessment, as well as completion of a questionnaire by a representative sample of students aged 15. In the UK, PISA depends on the voluntary co-operation of both schools and students. Compared with other surveys conducted through schools, PISA is quite disruptive as it takes a long time to complete and is conducted in the Spring term when schools are preparing for examinations.
	Minimum criteria for response rates are set by OECD, and the response rates in the UK, in particular in England, fell short of the required minimum. ONS conducted the survey according to current best practice and, with the DfES, made every effort to persuade schools to participate. In spite of this, the survey response rates fell short of the threshold set by the OECD.
	As National Statistician, ultimately I am responsible for all work of the Office for National Statistics.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged;
	(3)  how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him today by the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Tax Collection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of collection of (a) national insurance, (b) income tax, (c) capital gains tax and (d) inheritance tax has been in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of collection is reported each year in the Inland Revenue's Annual Report. It is calculated by apportioning administrative expenditure between the main taxes and duties.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the tax credits computer system can (a) import data from and (b) export data to the income tax computer system.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act. It holds information for the purposes specified to the Data Protection Commissioner, and may use this information for any of them.
	The Inland Revenue receives and uses information about tax credit claimants and tax payers from others, and may give information to others but only as the law permits to:
	check the accuracy of information,
	prevent or detect crime,
	or protect public funds.
	The Inland Revenue may check information they receive about claimants and taxpayers with what is already in their records. This can include information provided by customers as well as others such as other Government Departments and agencies and overseas tax authorities.

Tax Credits

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made in removing the administration of tax credits for employers; and when he expects to implement this change.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue is consulting representatives of employers and other interested parties to ensure that the transition from employer payment of working tax credit to direct payment by the Inland Revenue proceeds smoothly for both employers and claimants. Once that consultation is complete, I shall announce the timetable for phasing out the payment of working tax credit by employers.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what total expenditure on the working tax credit was in 200304, broken down between (a) the working tax credit itself and (b) the childcare tax credit;
	(2)  what total expenditure on the child tax credit was in 200304, broken down between (a) the family element, (b) the child element and (c) other elements;
	(3)  how much expenditure on (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit in 200304 was (i) offset for the purposes of public expenditure calculations payments of income tax and (ii) counted as public expenditure.

Dawn Primarolo: Expenditure on the child and working tax credits in the financial year 200304 appears in Note 3 to the Trust Statement in the Inland Revenue Annual Report and Accounts for that year.
	On (i), expenditure on WTC includes 490 million paid to the main carer of the children for childcare as part of WTC. The total level of childcare support provided through the childcare element in 200304 is estimated to be over 700 million. This includes cases where this element increased the amount of child tax credit (CTC) paid.
	On (ii), It is not possible to provide a split of total expenditure on CTC between the component elements. The amount of award payable is reduced for families whose incomes are above the threshold, and this reduction is applied to the total value of all elements taken together.
	On (iii), reliable separate splits between CTC and WTC of the negative tax and payments of entitlement components of tax credits expenditure are not available.

Tax Credits

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people living in the City of Edinburgh local authority area have had payment of their tax credits stopped because they failed to provide the Inland Revenue with updated information by the 30 September deadline.

Dawn Primarolo: This number is not known, and a reliable estimate could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Tax Credits

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of time taken to answer calls made to the customer telephone number of the Tax Credit Office customer relations team in Preston is.

Dawn Primarolo: Tax credit customers phoning with a query or problem about their tax credits should ring the main Tax Credits Helpline on 0845 300 3900 (Great Britain) or 0845 603 2000 (Northern Ireland). These helplines are open seven days a week from 08:00 to 20:00.
	The Tax Credit Office's customer relations team deals with formal customer complaints and has a phone number that its customers can ring if they have a query. There are five lines, which are staffed throughout normal office hours and handle around 100 calls a day. The Tax Credit Office does not have information about the average length of time taken to answer calls to the customer relations team's phone number.

Tax Credits

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many months' backlog there is for appeals concerning overpayment of (a) working family and (b) child tax credit;
	(2)  how many appeals concerning overpayment of working family tax credits have been successful this year.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the analysis of the household survey data for 200304 to provide an estimate of families eligible for but not claiming child tax credit will be concluded.

Dawn Primarolo: Subject to ensuring the data and methodology are sufficiently robust, we expect the analysis to be completed towards the end of 200506.

Workless Households

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children there were in workless households in each local authority in the Northern Way Initiative area in each year from 1998 to 2004; and what percentage of children these figures represent in each year.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 8 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about children in workless households. (202678)
	Information on each local authority in the Northern Way Initiative area cannot be provided as the geographical borders of this have not been precisely identified.
	The attached table gives the estimates of the number and the percentage of children who were living in workless households in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions for the three months ending in May each year from 1998 to 2004.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling error.
	
		Children(9) Living in Workless Households(10)Not seasonally adjusted
		
			 Three months ending in May North East North West Yorkshire and Humber 
			 each year(11) (000) Per cent.(12) (000) Per cent.(12) (000) Per cent.(12) 
		
		
			 1998 132 25.2 335 23.6 200 20.4 
			 1999 134 25.3 314 22.6 182 18.5 
			 2000 117 22.6 271 19.4 182 18.7 
			 2001 107 22.0 264 19.1 156 16.6 
			 2002 94 19.8 277 19.9 194 20.9 
			 2003 120 24.9 283 20.1 157 16.7 
			 2004 103 23.3 245 18.0 146 15.8 
		
	
	(9) Children refers to children under 16.
	(10) A workless household is a household with at least one person of working age (male aged 1664 and women aged 1659), and in which no one aged 16 or over is in employment.
	(11) Figures have not been adjusted to include estimates for households with unknown economic activity.
	(12) Children in workless households as percentage of children in all working age households.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

World Debt

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made to (a) the IMF and (b) the World Bank concerning (i) debt write-off and (ii) a donor conference for Angola.

Stephen Timms: Angola's debt situation has been discussed in the Paris Club, where both the IMF and World Bank are represented. Before the UK Government can support debt relief for Angola, the Government of Angola will need to have an appropriate programme with the IMF. The IMF have been working with the Angolan Government on the steps towards such a programme.
	Before we and other donors can consider supporting a donor conference, the Government of Angola also needs to have an effective poverty reduction strategy.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Stephen Timms: The Department is committed to the fair treatment of all staff and not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age. The Department's policy is set out in its equal opportunities statement and is available for inspection on our public website.
	Departmental HR policies take full account of the equal opportunities legislation and best practice and the Department conducts regular internal statistical analyses to monitor representation and appraisal by age in order that specific age issues are identified and addressed.
	In anticipation of the ED regulation due to come into force in October 2006 the Department is reviewing its policy around retirement age/maximum employment age and related issues to ensure a fully inclusive workforce.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Advertising

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kind of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not regularly advertise in Muslim newspapers. However, some of the Department's public appointments have been advertised in The Nation.

UK Film Industry

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the contributions of black film to the UK film industry; and what support is given by her Department.

Estelle Morris: The DCMS administers support to the UK film industry through the agency of the UK Film Council, which has as part of its remit the promotion of film making and viewing to people from as diverse a range of backgrounds as possible.
	The UK Film Council works extensively to ensure that under-represented groups are supported. Its diversity strategy is committed to helping the industry achieve a more diverse work force in terms of gender, disability and ethnicity both behind and in front of the camera across the film industry value chain.
	In terms of UK Film Council awards, its purpose is to facilitate and support any project, organisation or film maker in line with its wide strategic aim of promoting film across the social and cultural spectrum.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age is set out in its equal opportunities policy and other relevant sections of its Staff Handbook.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to small businesses of (a) certification and (b) the regulatory burden of Part P of Building Regulations when it comes into effect on 1 January 2005;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the financial impact for local authorities of Part P of the Building Regulations from 1 January 2005.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the Part P Regulatory Impact Assessment which is available in the Library of the House and on the Office Deputy Prime Minister's website.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advertising and publicity will be employed to ensure that homeowners are informed of the effects of the new building regulations.

Phil Hope: A publicity campaign aimed at householders will be launched very shortly. It is planned as part of the campaign to have a free leaflet available from local authorities, electrical contractors and major electrical wholesalers and retailers and to have display advertising in national newspapers.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact on small businesses of the requirement for electricians to have a prescribed level of insurance cover; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Electricians who are members of a Part P competent person scheme are required as a condition of registration with a scheme to have at least 2 million public liability insurance. Those who are not members of a scheme do not have such a requirement placed on them.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what additional funding he will provide to local authorities to meet the costs of Part P of the Building Regulations from 1 January 2005.

Phil Hope: Such funding is not necessary. Local authority building control services are funded from fees paid by those using the service.

Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority

Richard Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the costs were of rebilling residents in the counties of Hereford and Worcester following the capping of the fire authority's funding; and whether this cost will have an effect on services.

Nick Raynsford: The Government has not measured the cost independently. When its residents were rebilled, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority stated that the cost of retailing was 450,000.
	In designating Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority for capping in 200405, the Government took into account representations made by the authority, including the costs of retailing. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is confident that the authority can deliver a good service and carry out all its statutory functions within its revised budget requirement. The authority could have avoided the costs of retailing by not setting an excessive budget increase. It increased its budget requirement by 19.4 per cent. and council tax by 29.4 per cent.

Bathside Bay Container Terminal

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what date he expects the outcome of the public inquiry into the Bathside Bay container terminal to be announced.

Keith Hill: The inquiry into the proposed container terminal at Bathside Bay closed on 21 October. The inspector is currently preparing his report, which is expected to be submitted to the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport by the end of March. Decisions on the proposals will be issued as soon as the respective Secretaries of State have had sufficient opportunity to consider the inspector's recommendations.

Departmental Advertising

Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kinds of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister routinely uses ethnic press and media as part of its publicity and information campaigns.
	Among the titles used are, Asian Eye, Asian Leader, Asian Image, Asian News, Asian Trader, Asian Times, and the Eastern Times.
	Although these titles are not predominantly aimed at the Muslim community they do include a considerable Muslim readership.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also planning a fire safety campaign aimed at the Muslim community for Eid and this will be targeted using the Muslim press.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not been engaged in any (a) new builds, or (b) demolition rebuilds within the last two years.
	The estimated capital cost of local authority led Private Finance Initiatives which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is supporting was 207.322 million in 2003 and 122.73 million 2004. The whole life cost of these Private Finance Initiative projects is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what crche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognises the benefits of recruiting and retaining the highest calibre staff and allowing parents to make their own choices about where and what type of child care they want for their child.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister introduced a Childcare Voucher scheme on 1 November 2004 to replace the limited number of subsidised places it supported at a central London nursery. Eligible members of staff may claim a voucher valued at 23 per week. Since the scheme was introduced 58 members of staff have been placed on the scheme at an annualised cost of 69K.
	The Planning Inspectorate provides five subsidised places at a local off-site crche at a cost of 10.5K per annum. The Fire Service College provides 17 subsidised places at an on-site crche at a cost of 39K per annum.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also participates in the Westminster Holiday Playscheme, which provides holiday care for children of school age. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister currently supports 31 staff for an average of two weeks in school holidays and subsidises 50 per cent. of the daily cost of 30.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The total external spending by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on public private partnership consultants was 117,239.90 in 2003. There were no costs incurred in 2004. Two consultancy firms were used by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister over this period.
	The additional information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Electricians

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Department for Education and Skills to ensure that training courses for electricians are in place in preparation for the commencement of Part P of Building Regulations.

Phil Hope: None, but officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have talked to the Learning and Skills Council, Summit Skills, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Electrical Contractors Association, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting and others about the provision of training for electricians.

Fuse Boxes

Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received about installing re-set fuse boxes in council-owned properties; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not received any representations on installing re-set fuse boxes in council properties.

Grants

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cash incentive scheme grants were made by each local authority in London in 200304; and what the total value of these grants was in each authority.

Keith Hill: The information reported by London Boroughs on the number of cash incentive scheme grants made in 200304 and the total value of their grants is as follows:
	
		 thousand
		
			  Total number of grants Total expenditure 
		
		
			 Barnet 33 854 
			 Brent 32 128 
			 Camden 13 565 
			 Croydon 46 928 
			 Baling 36 1,080 
			 Enfield 37 879 
			 Haringey 28 551 
			 Hillingdon 21 254 
			 Islington 1 24 
			 Kingston upon Thames 8 159 
			 Lewisham 35 649 
			 Merton 6 125 
			 Tower Hamlets 71 1,206 
			 Waltham Forest 9 . 265 
			 Wandsworth 35 715 
			 Westminster 14 395 
			 London 425 8,777

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of Statutory Instrument No. 986/2003, deregulatory section 129 of the Housing Act 1988.

Keith Hill: Regular monitoring information shows that both the number and average size of Cash Incentive Scheme grants in 200304 were similar to figures before deregulation, which came into effect from 1 April 2003. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has yet to assess the specific impact of deregulation.

Local Government Pensions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the proposals for changes to the local government pension scheme (a) were in their original form and (b) are in their latest revised form.

Phil Hope: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to him on 14 and 15 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1527W and 1601W respectively, which set out the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's proposed amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme. The relevant statutory consultation and summaries of the proposed amendments are available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: www.xoq83.dial.pipex.com/availabledoc.htm. The statutory consultation exercise ended on 30 June, the responses have been considered and an amended SI is expected to be laid before Parliament shortly.

Local Government Pensions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether any local government pension scheme has been allowed to capitalise pension fund shortfalls.

Phil Hope: Since 1 April 2000, 40 local authorities in England have been allowed to treat as capital expenditure the making of lump-sum payments into their pension funds most under a time limited scheme that has now expired. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is about to issue guidance on the circumstances in which we shall be willing to allow such treatment in future. The authorities in question were the following:
	Adur District Council
	Arun District Council
	Babergh District Council
	London Borough of Brent
	Chelmsford Borough Council
	Chichester District Council
	Crawley Borough Council
	East Devon District Council
	East Hertfordshire District Council
	Elmbridge Borough Council
	Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
	Forest Heath District Council
	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
	Ipswich Borough Council
	London Borough of Islington
	Kennet District Council
	London Borough of Lambeth
	Maldon District Council
	Malvern Hills District Council
	Mid Bedfordshire District Council
	Mole Valley District Council
	North Devon District Council
	Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
	Runnymede Borough Council
	Salisbury District Council
	South Derbyshire District Council
	South Hams District Council
	Spelthorne Borough Council
	St. Edmundsbury Borough Council
	Surrey Heath Borough Council
	Swindon Borough Council
	Three Rivers District Council
	Torbay Borough Council
	London Borough of Tower Hamlets
	Uttlesford District Council
	Waverley Borough Council
	Welwyn Hatfield Council
	Weymouth and Portland Borough Council
	Wiltshire County Council
	Wyre Forest District Council.

Oil-fired Heating

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from the (a) Environment Agency and (b) Oil Firing Technical Association on improving the training of installers of oil-fired heating equipment.

Phil Hope: There have been no representations to Ministers on improving the training of installers of oil fired heating equipment. Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are in discussion with both the Environment Agency and the Oil Firing Technical Association however on improving compliance with the Building Regulations for controlling the risks of oil pollution from domestic oil fuel tanks.

Traveller Caravans

Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Traveller caravans were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

Keith Hill: The information is as follows:
	(a) Figures for caravans on authorised sites in the Greater London area are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 January 2002 649 
			 July 2002 741 
			 January 2003 621 
			 July 2003 701 
			 January 2004 699 
			 July 2004 638 
		
	
	(b) figures for caravans on unauthorised sites in the Greater London area are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 January 2002 163 
			 July 2002 90 
			 January 2003 100 
			 July 2003 124 
			 January 2004 170 
			 July 2004 209

WALES

Railways Bill

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Cabinet and National Assembly for Wales Government colleagues on the impact of the Railways Bill on transport in Wales.

Don Touhig: I have regular discussions with colleagues about railways in Wales. Taken together with the Transport (Wales) Bill, the powers to be included in the Railways Bill will enable the Assembly to take forward its integrated transport strategy.

Rail Services

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales to discuss the provision of rail services in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly Secretaries on a number of issues, including rail provision. The Railways Bill will devolve additional responsibilities to the Assembly for the Wales and Borders franchise, and the Assembly will be able to appoint a member to the Rail Passengers Council.

Public Service Broadcasting

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the future of public service broadcasting in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I fully recognise the vital role public service broadcasting plays in Wales. I am supportive of the need to maintain a high standard of programming and productions relevant to Wales.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office publishes its policy on the payment of invoices issued to it and performance against the related target yearly in its Annual Report.
	The most recent Annual Report (Cm 6228) was published in April 2004 and copies were laid in the parliamentary Libraries.

National Assembly for Wales

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the memoranda of understanding under which responsibilities for specific services have been transferred to the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will put a copy of each memorandum in the Library.

Don Touhig: Responsibility for specific services can only be transferred to the Assembly by primary legislation or by Order under the Government of Wales Act 1998 (the Act).
	Section 41 of the Act provides that arrangements may be made between the Assembly and any relevant authority for any functions of one of them to be exercised by, or by the staff of, the other. Relevant authority is defined as
	any Government Department, any local or public authority or the holder of any public office.
	Such agreements do not transfer responsibility; they deal with administrative arrangements as to how it will be exercised.
	No central record is kept of such agreements, but I am aware that a number are in force in both directions. The Act does not specify any particular form for these agreements.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Peter Hain: The information is not held in the format requested. All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the code of Conduct of Special Advisers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Peter Hain: None.

Post Office

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Secretaries in the National Assembly for Wales Government on financial support for rural post offices in Wales.

Peter Hain: I have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues and the Assembly First Minister to discuss a range of issues, including the post office network in Wales.

Social Exclusion

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with National Assembly for Wales Secretaries and Cabinet colleagues on the impact of transport on social exclusion in Wales.

Don Touhig: I have regular discussions about matters affecting transport in Wales. This year, the Assembly is providing more than 8.5 million to local authorities under the local transport grant scheme, enabling them to boost the number and range of subsidised bus services, and support community transport projects.

Welsh Development Agency

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the future of the Welsh Development Agency.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a wide variety of subjects, including the work of the Welsh Development Agency.

DEFENCE

Army Training Camp (Fremington)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Army training camp at Fremington, North Devon.

Ivor Caplin: At present we have no plans to change our use of Fremington camp. Should our intentions change in the future, I will ensure that the hon. Member and all the relevant local authorities are informed.

Crche Facilites

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what crche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence provides 36 crches (benefiting 700 children) providing occasional care and 70 pre schools (benefiting over 2,000 children) providing education on a sessional basis, primarily for Service families.

Empty Properties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Ivor Caplin: Estimates of the annual cost and total value of empty freehold properties owned by this Department in each of the last two years, and for which the Ministry of Defence has responsibility, are outlined in the following table:
	
		
			 Serial (a) As at 31 March each year Estimated annual cost of empty properties ( million) (b) Estimated value of empty properties ( million) (c) 
		
		
			 1 2003 2.3 49.9 
			 2 2004 1.9 46.1 
		
	
	These figures are based on empty Service Families Accommodation. The number of empty freehold properties fluctuates on a daily basis, due to the frequent movements of Service personnel.

Gurkhas

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ex-Gurkha soldiers fall outside the 1997 Hong Kong Agreement with regards to work rights, residency and citizenship in the United Kingdom.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 29 November 2004
	We estimate that there are up to 24,000 former British Army Gurkhas who left between the separation of British Gurkhas from the Indian Army in 1947 and 1 July 1997, and do not qualify under the new HM Forces Immigration Rule. However, any applications received from these ex-Gurkhas will be considered by the Home Office on the basis of their individual merits.

Gurkhas

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria have been used in deciding the status of Gurkha soldiers who have been refused the right to work, reside and apply for UK citizenship.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The implementation and interpretation of immigration rules is a matter for the Home Secretary. Further policy guidance will be published on the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate website shortly.

King's Own Scottish Borderers

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the regimental recruiting area is of the King's Own Scottish Borderers.

Ivor Caplin: The traditional recruiting area for the King's Own Scottish Borderers is Dumfries and Galloway, Lanarkshire (part of), The Borders (part of) and Berwick upon Tweed.
	These areas are not, however, fixed. Individuals expressing an interest in a regiment or corps that did not recruit in their home area would not be refused entry.

King's Own Scottish Borderers

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational deployments of the King's Own Scottish Borderers have been since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The details of the operational deployments for the King's Own Scottish Borderers since 1997 are not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. I can, however, provide the details from January 2000. Deployments have been defined as unaccompanied battalion level operational tours.
	The battalion has twice deployed to Northern Ireland; from June to November 2000 and September 2001 to March 2002; and to Iraq from July to October 2003. The battalion was also deployed intermittently in late 2002 and early 2003 on Operation Fresco firefighting duties.

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when recruits to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers will begin their basic training.

Ivor Caplin: All potential recruits who pass the selection process are allocated a training place in accordance with the Army Training and Recruiting Agency's Recruit Allocation Plan. The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, a part of the Queen's Division, is allocated places on training courses at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick every month (except December when no courses are run).

HEALTH

Advertising Approval

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which senior NHS staff approved the advertising feature in NHS Family Choice Magazine promoting Popzone; and what criteria are used to determine from which suppliers advertisements are accepted for inclusion in the magazine.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not produce NHS Family Choice magazine. It is not responsible for the content of the magazine and does not support or endorse any of the content. A private sector company called Cyworks plc produces the magazine. The Department has repeatedly requested Cyworks to stop using the NHS letters as part of the magazine title. To date all such requests have been ignored.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Rosie Winterton: There is no place for unfair discrimination in the Department or national health service (NHS) on the grounds of age. The Department's commitment to its staff not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of age is set out in its equal opportunities policy. The national service framework for older people made the clear statement that age discrimination would not be tolerated in access to health and social care, and the NHS plan reinforced the value of diversity and commitment to equality of opportunity within the NHS work force.

Ashford Hospital (Middlesex)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's negotiations with Capio UK regarding the planned provision of a treatment centre at Ashford hospital (Middlesex).

John Hutton: holding answer 7 December 2004
	Discussions between the national health service sponsors, the Department and Capio continue and, subject to a satisfactory outcome to those discussions, it is expected that the contract will be closed in time for services to commence in April 2005.

Employers' Liability Claims

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many employers' liability claims in the NHS have been recorded by the NHS Litigation Authority in each year since 1997; and if he will estimate the total potential cost to the NHS;
	(2)  if he will list the 10 main causes of claims for employers' liability in the NHS in the last period for which figures are available; and what the costs to the NHS were of each.

John Hutton: The liabilities to third parties scheme (LTPS) is a risk-pooling scheme for national health service trusts, NHS foundation trusts, primary care trusts and special health authorities which provides indemnity for non-clinical risks such as employers' and public liabilities. The scheme was introduced in 1999 and is operated by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA).
	Table 1 shows information provided by the NHSLA on the number of employers' liability claims that were notified to them since 1999.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Number of claims Total cost of claims () Total paid () Outstanding estimate () 
		
		
			 19992000 802 5,761,964 5,010,455 751,509 
			 200001 1,827 21,615,240 14,792,176 6,823,064 
			 200102 2,433 34,503,774 14,955,180 19,548,594 
			 200203 2,448 28,832,524 8,408,161 20,424,363 
			 200304 2,747 36,133,867 2,629,670 33,504,197 
			 Total 10,257 126,847,368 45,795,641 81,051,727 
		
	
	Table 2 shows information provided by the NHSLA on the 10 main causes of claims for employers' liability since the scheme commenced to the current date.
	
		Table 2
		
			 Cause Number of claims Total cost of claims () Total paid () Outstanding estimate () 
		
		
			 Slip or trip 3,046 34,244,569 12,791,323 21,453,246 
			 Other 2,468 34,091,276 11,287,626 22,803,649 
			 Defective tools/equipment 1,415 16,359,439 5,739,517 10,619,922 
			 Illness/disease 1,310 16,179,781 5,635,807 10,543,973 
			 Assault 1,267 19,160,939 4,066,799 15,094,141 
			 Manual handling 1,071 14,420,011 3,369,240 11,050,771 
			 Sharps injury 659 3,561,433 1,713,873 1,847,560 
			 Repetitive process 212 3,561,433 1,713,873 1,847,560 
			 Hit by object 74 723,398 39,677 683,721 
			 Road traffic accident 36 164,687 48,015 116,672

General Medical Council

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the five year limitation for lodging a complaint with the General Medical Council;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that complaints submitted to the General Medical Council outside the five year limitation period are investigated if it might have a bearing on a doctor's fitness to practise;
	(3)  what discussions took place between his Department and the General Medical Council prior to the introduction of recent changes in the time limit for lodging complaints.

John Hutton: The recent changes to the General Medical Council's (GMC) fitness to practise procedures were made by amendment of the Medical Act 1983 under The Medical Act 1983 (Amendment) Order 2002. These changes came into force on 1 November 2004. The Department discussed the changes with the GMC as part of the preparations for the making of the Order, which was subject to a statutory consultation before it was laid in Parliament for approval.
	The time limit during which an allegation must be made to the GCMC was changed by the GMC amendment rules in November 2002 (SI 2002/2572). As is usual practice, these rules were discussed with the GMC while they were being drafted. The General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules Order of Council 2004, which also came into force on 1 November re-enacted this previous change. The rules already provide in rule 4(5) for an allegation made outside the five-year period to be proceeded with if in the exceptional circumstances of the case the registrar considers it is in the public interest to do so.

Health Professions Council

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what purposes the Health Professions Council is advertising on radio; what the cost of radio advertising used by them is in the past 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of planned radio advertising.

John Hutton: This is a matter for the Health Professions Council (HPC), which is an independent regulator funded by membership subscription. The HPC has a statutory duty under article 3(13) of the HPC order to inform the public about its work.

Health Professions Council

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to the Health Professions Council (a) in the current financial year and (b) for each of the next three years.

John Hutton: We have no funding allocated to the Health Professions Council for this year or for future years. The council is an independent regulator funded by membership subscription.

Health Trainers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the process will be for accrediting NHS health trainers, as defined in the White Paper, Choosing Health, Cm 6374.

John Hutton: Health trainers are a new initiative for the national health service and we will be working in consultation with the Health Professions Council and others with an interest to develop processes for accreditation building on the experience gained by piloting the health trainer model in spearhead primary care trusts from 2005. These processes will be based on completion of formal training with built-in standards and quality assurance.

Junior Doctors (Working Time Directive)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the strategic health authorities which did not achieve full compliance with the European working time directive for junior doctors in each month since August.

John Hutton: Compliance with the working time directive (WTD) is a local matter and the Department of Health does not routinely collect validated information on WTD compliance.
	From informal discussions with strategic health authorities, we know that the vast majority of trusts achieved compliance across all specialties by 1 August. These discussions also revealed that implementation of the WTD has resulted in a handful of trusts experiencing teething problems in a limited number of specialties.

Mental Health

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the net ingredient cost (a) in total and (b) per head of population was of (i) tranquilisers and (ii) anti-depressants in each strategic health authority in each of the past three years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the net ingredient cost of antidepressants and tranquilisers in total and per head of population in each strategic health authority in the last two years is shown in the tables. It is not possible to provide similar information for 2001, as data is held on the prescribing analysis and cost system for only 36 months.
	
		Net ingredient cost ( million) and net ingredient cost per head of population of antidepressant drugs prescribed in GP practices in England that were dispensed in the community in 2002 and 2003, by strategic health authority
		
			  Net ingredient cost ( million) Net ingredient cost per head of population () 
			 Strategic health authority 2002 2003 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 16.4 17.0 7.52 7.74 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 10.9 11.1 6.76 6.88 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 15.8 16.7 6.97 7.33 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 22.3 23.2 9.49 9.84 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 10.8 11.2 9.46 9.81 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 17.3 18.0 9.06 9.38 
			 Essex 11.4 11.7 7.03 7.19 
			 Greater Manchester 22.9 24.0 9.09 9.47 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 16.1 16.9 9.01 9.43 
			 Kent and Medway 11.3 11.8 7.13 7.36 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 11.1 11.4 7.07 7.22 
			 North and East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire 11.3 11.7 6.91 7.13 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 20.0 21.0 9.11 9.47 
			 North Central London 7.2 7.5 5.95 6.14 
			 North East London 7.5 7.7 4.90 5.05 
			 North West London 9.1 9.4 5.03 5.16 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 13.5 14.0 9.71 10.05 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 12.0 12.3 9.04 8.19 
			 Somerset and Dorset 8.5 8.8 7.10 7.26 
			 South East London 8.3 8.5 5.47 5.63 
			 South West London 7.0 7.1 5.32 5.46 
			 South West Peninsula 12.4 12.8 7.82 7.98 
			 South Yorkshire 11.3 11.7 8.92 9.19 
			 Surrey and Sussex 20.1 21.0 7.85 8.16 
			 Thames Valley 14.7 15.4 7.00 7.30 
			 Trent 19.2 19.9 7.23 7.45 
			 West Midlands South 10.1 10.6 6.59 6.83 
			 West Yorkshire 16.8 17.0 8.02 8.11 
			  
			 England 375.5 389.3 7.56 7.81 
		
	
	
		Net ingredient cost ( million) and net ingredient cost per head of population of tranquilisers prescribed in GP practices in England that were dispensed in the community in 2002 and 2003, by strategic health authority
		
			  Net ingredient cost ( million) Net ingredient cost per head of population () 
			 Strategic health authority 2002 2003 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 1.5 1.5 0.69 0.70 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 0.9 0.9 0.55 0.56 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 1.7 1.7 0.74 0.74 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 2.2 2.2 0.92 0.93 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 1.2 1.1 1.04 0.97 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 2.1 2.0 1.09 1.06 
			 Essex 1.2 1.3 0.75 0.77 
			 Greater Manchester 2.5 2.6 1.01 1.02 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 1.2 1.2 0.65 0.65 
			 Kent and Medway 1.3 1.3 0.80 0.81 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 1.0 1.0 0.64 0.64 
			 North and East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire 1.2 1.2 0.72 0.70 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 1.8 1.9 0.84 0.84 
			 North Central London 0.6 0.6 0.52 0.52 
			 North East London 0.7 0.7 0.47 0.46 
			 North West London 0.9 0.9 0.50 0.49 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 1.1 1.1 0.77 0.75 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 1.1 1.1 0.73 0.73 
			 Somerset and Dorset 1.0 0.9 0.80 0.78 
			 South East London 0.7 0.7 0.47 0.48 
			 South West London 0.6 0.7 0.50 0.50 
			 South West Peninsula 1.4 1.4 0.88 0.90 
			 South Yorkshire 1.0 1.0 0.83 0.81 
			 Surrey and Sussex 2.3 2.4 0.91 0.92 
			 Thames Valley 1.1 1.2 0.54 0.55 
			 Trent 1.8 1.8 0.70 0.69 
			 West Midlands South 1.0 1.1 0.67 0.69 
			 West Yorkshire 1.8 1.7 0.84 0.83 
			  
			 England 37.0 37.2 0.75 0.75 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. This information was obtained from the Prescribing Analysis and Cost (PACT) system, which covers prescriptions prescribed by GP practices in England and dispensed in the community. Prescriptions written within a GP practice but dispensed outside the strategic health authority will be included in the SHA in which the GP practice is based. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included. Prescriptions written in hospitals/clinics that are dispensed in the community, prescriptions dispensed in hospitals and private prescriptions are not included in PACT data. It is important to note this as some British National Formulary (BNF) sections have a high proportion of prescriptions written in hospitals that are dispensed in the community. For example, BNF chapter 4, Central Nervous System has a fair proportion of items written in mental health clinics that are dispensed in the communitythese prescriptions are not included in PACT data.
	2. Net ingredient cost (NIC) is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.
	3. The sum of all SHAs does not equal the total England figure, because the total England figure includes unidentified doctors (not possible for the PPA to allocate to a PCT).
	4. Tranquilisers have been defined as all drugs in the British National Formulary section 4.1 Hypnotics and anxiolytics. Antidepressants have been defined as all drugs in the British National Formulary section 4.3 Antidepressant drugs
	5. 2002 and 2003 mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 Census have been used to calculate net ingredient cost per head of population.
	Source:
	Crown copyright, Prescription Statistics (SD1E), Department of Health.
	Website: http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/prescriptionstatistics/index.htm.

Mental Health

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) fitness for purpose of current information technology used by mental health services trusts and (b) delivery of appropriate modern information systems to those trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Information technology systems used by mental health provider trusts have been evaluated as part of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT).
	The NPfIT will procure, develop and implement modern, integrated IT infrastructure and systems for all national health service organisations in England by 2010. There are four key elements: electronic appointment booking, an integrated care records service, electronic prescribing and an underpinning IT infrastructure with sufficient connectivity and broadband capacity to support the critical national applications and local systems.
	The NPfIT is an essential element in delivering the NHS Plan, focusing on the key developments that will make a significant difference to improving the patient experience and the delivery of care and services.

MRSA

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of the MRSA virus have been detected at Medway Maritime Hospital since 2001; and how many of these cases were detected on the Trafalgar Ward.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The only information on the bacterium methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSR) available by named trust is the mandatory surveillance system for MRSA blood stream infections. Data are available by trust but not by individual hospital or ward. Information for Medway National Health Service Trust is shown in the table.
	
		MRSA bacteraemia rates by trust category(specialist trust(Medway NHS Trust/Thames Gateway NHS Trust(13)
		
			 Period MRSA per 1,000 bed-days Number of MRSA bacteraemias 
		
		
			 April 2001 to March 2002(13) 0.08 31 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 0.13 29 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 0.22 48 
		
	
	(13) Medway Maritime hospital is part of Medway NHS Trust, but data for 200102 was reported for Medway NHS Trust/Thames Gateway NHS Trust.

MRSA

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the cause of death at the Medway Maritime Hospital has been recorded as being due to the MRSA virus since 2001.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 2 December 2004
	I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Derek Wyatt, dated 7 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many times the cause of death at the Medway Maritime Hospital has been recorded as being due to the MRSA bacterium. I am replying in his absence. (201533)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2002. The figure for Medway Maritime Hospital was provided in a written answer published in Hansard on 22 July 2004, column 471W.

MRSA

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the last review of NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 took place; and for how long the temperatures recommended by the guideline have remained unchanged;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 in (a) achieving complete disinfection of laundry and (b) reducing the incidence of MRSA;
	(3)  what plans he has to update NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 in relation to tackling MRSA; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Health Service Guidance (95) 18 provides advice and guidance to national health service organisations on the use of laundry practices to reduce possible risks of infection.
	Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is heat labile and is effectively destroyed at the temperatures advised in HSG (95) 18. There are no plans to update laundry guidance HSG (95) 18 in relation to tackling MRSA. No review of the guidance has been undertaken since it was published in 1995 and the temperature guidelines have remained unchanged since publication of the guidance. The guidance still adequately covers the issue of temperature, disinfection and MRSA.

NHS Walk-in Centres

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds trust hospitals are disallowed from bidding for NHS walk-in centres.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2004
	No organisation or body has been disallowed from submitting an expression of interest for national health service walk-in centres in response to the advertisements on 4 November 2004 and 6 November 2004.

Nurses

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in the NHS on a (a) permanent and (b) temporary basis (i) in total and (ii) broken down by (A) strategic health authority and (B) trust in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Information on the number of nurses employed in the national health service by strategic health authority and by NHS organisation in each year since 1997 has been placed in the Library. A breakdown showing those employed on permanent and temporary contracts is not available.

Nurses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2004, Official Report, columns 578W, ref 199923, what the whole-time equivalent figure for the period September 2003 to March 2004 was; and what estimates his Department has made of further headcount and whole-time equivalent increases between March 2004 and 2008.

John Hutton: holding answer 6 December 2004
	As at March 2004, there are an estimated 314,000 whole-time equivalent qualified nurses, including practice nurses, employed in the national health service in England, including an estimated increase of 9,000 since September 2003.
	Delivering the NHS Plan included an expectation that by 2008, there would be 35,000 more headcount nurses and midwives employed in the NHS than there were in 2001. This expectation has already been met.
	We have no further specific targets for increases in the NHS nursing workforce, though we expect that there will be further significant increases.

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stage the review of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has reached; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 6 December 2004
	No review of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) is being carried out. A consultation exercise to inform the future support arrangements for patients' forums, once the CPPIH has been abolished, is currently underway. The closing date for the consultation exercise is 30 January 2005.

AIDS

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Government money has been spent on research into the prevention and cure of AIDS.

Melanie Johnson: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

School Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to expand the school nurse service.

John Hutton: The information requested is available in the White Paper Choosing HealthMaking healthy choices easier published in Novemberchapter 3 paragraph 30.

School Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses have been employed by the NHS in England in each year since 1991; and how many school nurses he expects the NHS will employ in each year until 2011.

John Hutton: Information is not available on the number of school nurses employed in the national health service since 1991. Reliable information will be available from the September 2004 work force census and we intend to publish the data in February 2005.
	By 2010, every primary care trust will be resourced to have at least one full-time, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.

Timber

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months in (i) his Department and (ii) the NHS; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on-site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Rosie Winterton: Within the Department's administrative estate, there are three main refurbishment projects that have commenced or will commence in the next six months. It is the Department's policy that any timber used in such projects should be procured from legal and sustainable sources to meet the requirement of the United Kingdom Government's timber procurement policy.
	There is no central list of such projects within the national health service. However, the NHS Environment Assessment Tool issued to the NHS requires this policy to be upheld.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 199798;
	(2)  what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 199798 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff but which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is no longer held by the Department and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

IT Contracts

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Advocate-General what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by her office in the last five years.

Lynda Clark: There have been no IT contracts commissioned by the offices of the Advocate-General within the last five years. The offices' IT systems and support are provided through the Scottish Executive. There are no outsourced IT contracts.

SCOTLAND

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 and when each appeal was lodged.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Timber

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the refurbishment projects in his Department's premises that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Anne McGuire: There is currently an essential maintenance programme under way. The Scotland Office has no refurbishment projects in progress or scheduled to take place within the next six months.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Court Transcripts

Brian Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make court transcripts available for cases involving hon. Members' constituents to hon. Members free of charge.

Christopher Leslie: There are currently no plans to make a transcription service available to members of the public free of charge, as the cost to the Department would be prohibitive. Currently transcripts are available for purchase to all parties involved in a case. Those who are not involved can also purchase a transcript if the judge deems the request for wanting one reasonable.
	However, the Government do understand that, in some circumstances, victims of crime or their families have a strong desire to review trial proceedings. As a result, my Department is therefore currently funding research into the level of demand for the provision of transcripts to victims. The results of this research will better inform us on development of policy into the issue of provision of transcripts to victims and the benefits this can bring.
	This area may also be assisted by longer-term advancements in recording technology. Currently the Department is working up proposals to test digital audio recording in court, which if successful would use voice recognition to enable spontaneous transcripts to be produced at a fraction of the existing cost.

Criminal Defence Service

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to ensure that the Criminal Defence Service is re-credited when a publicly-funded defendant is acquitted; and what estimate he has made of the amount involved based on the last year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: There is no mechanism for re-crediting the Criminal Defence Service when a publicly-funded defendant is acquitted and there are no plans to change this. There are no figures available to make an estimate of the amount involved.

Experts' Fees

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what plans he has to (a) impose a ceiling on fees paid to experts and (b) accredited experts;
	(2)  what controls the Legal Services Commission operate in relation to (a) fees paid to experts and (b) approval of experts; and what it spent on disbursements for experts in (i) civil, (ii) family and (iii) criminal cases in 200304.

David Lammy: The Government believe that expert witnesses should be suitably qualified in the subject upon which they assist the court with expert opinion, have achieved a suitable level of specialist knowledge and up to date experience to act as an expert and be recognised by their peers. The recent report Sudden death in infancy recommended systems of accreditation and training for experts. Active consideration is being given to this recommendation by all agencies.
	As for legally aided cases, the Legal Services Commission published a consultation paper: The Use of Experts(Quality, Price and Procedures in publicly funded cases on 26 November 2004.
	In relation to fees paid to experts, the paper proposes that rates need to be controlled in the same way as the rates paid to lawyers, and the paper sets out proposed guidance on fee levels in criminal and civil legally aided cases. The guidelines for civil cases are similar to those for legally aided criminal cases, but have a higher maximum and lower minimum.
	In relation to the accreditation of experts, the paper proposes that solicitors should be encouraged to use experts and interpreters who are on accredited registers such as: the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners; the National Register of Public Service Interpreters; or the register of the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People. The long-term aim is that all experts instructed in legally aided cases will be accredited.
	The LSC is not able to provide the information on disbursement spend in the requested format. In 200304, however, the LSC paid over 200 million for disbursements overall; around 140 million on civil cases and 60 million on criminal. They estimate that experts' fees account for approximately two thirds, (or 130 million) of disbursements.

Freedom of Information Act

Llew Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 November 2004, Official Report, column 7WS, on section 45 code of practice of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whether the Department has received any representations on this announcement; and whether the Department conducted a public consultation prior to making the announcement.

Christopher Leslie: Further to his written ministerial statement issued on 25 November 2004, I can confirm that my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs has received one representation regarding the revised Section 45 Code of Practice of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	In accordance with Section 45(4) of the Freedom of Information Act, the Secretary of State consulted the Information Commissioner on the content of the revised Section 45 Code of Practice. The Department also consulted fully with other Government Departments on the revised Section 45 Code of Practice. There was no public consultation exercise.

Information Commissioner

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what budget has been allocated to the Office of the Information Commissioner in each of the last two years; and how many staff have been employed by the Commissioner in each year.

Christopher Leslie: For 200203 the Department allocated a total grant in aid of 8.2 million to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and in 200304, this allocation increased to 10.6 million. The ICO has recouped from notification fees 7.7 million in 200203 and 8.8 million in 200304. This money is returned to Government and effectively offsets the grant in aid. This means that the net expenditure by DCA on the ICO has been 0.5k for 200203 and 1.8 million for 200304. The number of staff employed by the Information Commissioner has increased from 198 in 200203 to 208 by the end of the financial year 200304. The Department's grant in aid allocation to the ICO over the course of the last two financial years (200203 to 200304) has increased by 1.2 million, primarily because ICO have taken on more staff to deal with the case work likely to be generated when the Freedom of Information Act comes into force.

Legal Services Commission

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what amount remains outstanding to the Legal Services Commission under the statutory charge at the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps it is taking to recover this.

David Lammy: At the end of the financial year 200304 the value of debt due to the Legal Services Commission (LSC) under the statutory charge was 264 million. This included 50 million of interest that had accrued upon the debt.
	The debt is secured by the registration of a statutory charge against property and is not generally collectable immediately. Under existing regulations, the LSC has no discretion to enforce repayment of the debt until the charged property is re-mortgaged, sold or upon the death of the client. When one of these events occurs, the Land Registry notifies the LSC and recovery procedures commence.
	In order to keep funded clients informed about their debt, and to facilitate early repayment, the LSC has commenced sending out annual statements to clients setting out amounts owed, including accrued interest and offering clients the opportunity to make payment in full or by instalment of their debt.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Llew Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs by what methods charters establishing non-departmental public bodies may be revoked.

Christopher Leslie: Charters may be revoked by Act of Parliament or by Order in council and may also be surrendered.

Office of Public Guardianship

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what budget has been allocated to the Legal Services Commission in each of the last two years; and how many staff have been employed by the Commission in each year.

David Lammy: The budget allocated to the Legal Services Commission for the current financial year (in resource and cash terms) is as follows:
	Resource: 1,935 million
	Cash: 2,166 million
	The number of staff employed (in terms of full-time equivalents) by the Legal Services Commission, for the last two years, are as follows:
	200304: 1,663
	200203: 1,619

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 departmental special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Christopher Leslie: Between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, special advisers in the Department for Constitutional Affairs travelled in an official capacity on the following domestic and international visits:
	
		
			  Visited Total () 
		
		
			 11 June 2003 Manchester 959.60 
			 24 October 2003 Norwich 546.50 
			 31 October 2003 Derby 1,035.00 
			 21 November 2003 Lowestoft 342.50 
			 28 November 2003 Cardiff 265.90 
			 19 December 2003 New York/Washington DC 21,278.60 
			 29 January 2004 Birmingham 774.60 
			 12 March 2004 Harrow 106.00 
		
	
	All travel by special advisers was undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, and the Civil Service Management Code.

Televising Trials

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make it his policy to allow the televising of trials.

Christopher Leslie: On 15 November we issued a consultation paper on the complex and sensitive question of broadcasting court proceedings. When this consultation is complete, we will be in a position to consider whether allowing trials, or parts of trials, to be televised would be beneficial or detrimental to justice.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 199798.

David Lammy: My Department is unable to provide a full reply to this question without incurring disproportionate cost. My Department uses the services of external training providers on occasions when there is a training need that cannot be met by the in-house training function, or when there is a specialist training need for which it would not be cost-effective to develop in-house training.
	We are able to provide a single, overall, expenditure figure for each financial year since 199899 (my Department's accounting systems changed during 199798) for external training organised for my Department (and LCD) staff in the following table. These figures include courses organised by all parts of the Department.
	
		Total expenditure figures for external training(14)
		
			 Financial year Total amount () 
		
		
			 199899 919,389 
			 19992000 700,288 
			 200001 1,661,185 
			 200102 1,595,018 
			 200203 2,043,701 
			 200304 2,916,160 
		
	
	(14) Taken from the DCA's Operating Cost Statements, showing amounts accounted for, for all external training where VAT has been charged.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 199798 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

David Lammy: My Department has paid no fixed penalties to training providers in the period stated.
	My Department is committed to providing access to relevant training for all of its staff; that commitment extends to looking for options other than cancellation of training courses should staff be unable to attend.

PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements over the past six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register to disclose such information.

Tony Blair: I meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on-the-record briefing by my Official Spokesman regularly provides details of my public engagements.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Office since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Office between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) today.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 his special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Tony Blair: Information on the travel and accommodation for special advisers who accompanied me on overseas visits are included in the list of Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers 200304, copies of which are available in Libraries of the House.
	Further information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Civil Service Management Code.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what budget has been allocated to the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in each of the past two years; and how many staff have been employed by the Inspectorate in each year.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  200203 200304 
		
		
			 Benefit Fraud Inspectorate budget  allocation () 7,108,885 7,710,776 
			 Staff employed by Benefit Fraud  Inspectorate (Number) 134 154 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The budget figures for 200203 includes 507,675 and 200304 includes 494,832 from the H M Treasury Invest to Save Bid.
	2. The number of staff in each year is an average across the year.

Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 200203.

Chris Pond: We expect to release Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 200203 in January 2005. The statistics were originally intended for release in December 2004 but have been put back due to delays in the provision of data. A precise date of release will be pre-announced at least two weeks prior to publication in National Statistics Updatesthe diary of statistical releases.

Child Support Agency

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when action will be taken concerning the application for child support made by Julie Stephens of Christchurch on 20 June 2003.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 8 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when action will be taken concerning the application for child support made by Julie Stephens of Christchurch on 20 June 2003.
	As individual cases are confidential, I will write to you separately about this case. This is in line with paragraph 12, part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that the money paid to him in error by the Child Support Agency is passed without further delay to Ms Oakes, the constituent of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 8 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure that the money paid to him in error by the Child Support Agency is passed without further delay to Ms Oakes the constituent of the honourable Member for Birkenhead.
	As individual cases are confidential, I will write to you separately about this case. This is in line with paragraph 12, part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Child Support Agency

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency applications are being dealt with off-computer.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Bob Spink, dated 8 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many CSA applications are currently being dealt with off computer?
	Of the Agency's caseload of 1.3 million, around 7,000 cases are currently being dealt with clerically.

Child Support Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects all Child Support Agency cases to have migrated to the new payment scheme.

Chris Pond: We will make a decision on the transfer of old scheme cases once we are sure that the new arrangements are working well.

Child Support Agency

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to improve the performance of the Child Support Agency in the handling of direct approaches in correspondence and by telephone from the constituents of honourable Members.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Taylor, dated 8 December 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to improve the performance of the Child Support Agency in the handling of direct approaches in correspondence and by telephone from the constituents of honourable Members.
	The Child Support Agency is continuing to improve its performance in handling approaches from the constituents of honourable members. We are deploying our staff equitably across the new and old child support schemes to provide the best possible level of service to our clients. Telephone calls are routed direct to a client's caseworker wherever this is possible and our National Helpline continues to provide a back-up service. In addition we offer an e-mail service which is growing in demand and which generally provides a response to a client within 24 hours.

Construction Industry

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of (a) the frequency of health and safety inspection in the construction industry, (b) the sanctions available for enforcement of breaches reported and (c) the criteria used to choose which sanctions are used in a particular case; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations Directorate (FOD) have made the following number of inspection contacts in the construction industry in the last three years (based on companies identified with a construction Standard Industrial Classification code):
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200102 18,089 
			 200203 19,881 
			 200304 18,694 
		
	
	FOD's Construction Division works with the construction industry and seeks improvements in health and safety standards using a range of methods in addition to inspection and investigation activity and appropriate enforcement action.
	The health and safety enforcing authorities have a range of tools at their disposal in seeking to secure compliance with the law and to ensure a proportionate response to criminal offences. These include the provision by an inspector of information and advice. Inspectors may also serve improvement and prohibition notices that require remedial measures to be carried out, or to stop dangerous activities. They may also prosecute (or report to the Procurator Fiscal with a view to prosecution in Scotland).
	The health and safety enforcing authorities follow the principles and approach set out in the Health and Safety Commission's Enforcement Policy Statement. This policy statement requires proportionality and consistency in enforcement, in line with the Enforcement Concordat, to make most effective use of enforcing authority resources.

Council Tax Benefit

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in England were in receipt of council tax benefit in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		Council tax benefit (CTB) beneficiaries aged 60 and over in England
		
			  May 1997 May 2003 
		
		
			 CTB beneficiaries aged 60+ 2,714,000 2,337,000 
			 CTB beneficiaries aged 60+ as  percentage of relevant population 27.0 22.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Caseload figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place and caseloads to the nearest thousand.
	3. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	4. Beneficiaries are all claimants and partners aged 60 or over.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. samples, taken in May 1997 and 2003, and Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates 1997 and 2003.

Disability Income Guarantee

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Strathkelvin and Bearsden receive the disability income guarantee.

Maria Eagle: The disability income guarantee is paid by means of enhanced disability premiums through income support, jobseeker's allowance (income based), housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit information is not available below Government Office Region level.
	As at May 2004, there were 300 income support and jobseeker's allowance (income based) claimants with an enhanced disability premium in Strathkelvin and Bearsden parliamentary constituency.
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Numbers are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. These figures should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

New Deal

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) Scottish people aged 16 to 24, (b) Scottish people aged 25 or over and (c) Scottish people have entered a period of employment through the New Deal for longer than 13 weeks in each of the last four years; and what each figure is as a percentage of all individuals leaving the New Deal.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 6 December 2004
	A measure of sustainability is not available for New Deal for Lone Parents and New Deal 50 plus. For these New Deals, information has been provided for numbers entering employment.
	The available information is in the tables.
	
		New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus in Scotland up the June 2004
		
			  New Deal for Young People New Deal 25 plus 
			   Of which, to unsubsidised sustained employment  Of which, to unsubsidised sustained employment 
			 Period (July to June) Total number of leavers Number As percentage of all leavers Total number of leavers Number As percentage of all leavers 
		
		
			 200001 21,750 8,290 38.1 13,200 1,750 13.2 
			 200102 19,840 7,530 38.0 13,190 3,000 22.7 
			 200203 20,380 7,440 36.5 13,620 3,150 23.1 
			 200304 21,390 8,360 39.1 12,790 3,340 26.1 
		
	
	1. For the purposes of New Deal for Young People (18 to 24) and New Deal 25 plus, a job is regarded as sustained if no new claim is made for jobseeker's allowance within 13 weeks of leaving New Deal.
	2. Information is for total leavers and total jobs and may include people who have left New Deal more than once and gained more than one job through New Deal.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	4. Percentages are calculated on unrounded figures.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
	
		New Deal for Lone Parents in Scotland up to June 2004
		
			   Of which, to employment 
			 Period (July to June) Total number of leavers Number As percentage of all leavers 
		
		
			 200001 95,840 50,060 52.2 
			 200102 101,200 55,830 55.2 
			 200203 111,480 60,190 54.0 
			 200304 139,450 70,120 50.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information is for total leavers and total jobs and may include people who have left the programme more than once and gained more than one job through the programme.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Percentages are calculated from unrounded figures.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
	
		New Deal 50 plus in Scotland to June 2004
		
			 Period Jobs 
		
		
			 July 2000 to June 2001 4,280 
			 July 2001 to June 2002 4,070 
			 July 2002 to March 2003 2,850 
			 April 2003 to June 2003 1,090 
			 July 2003 to June 2004 3,290 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information to March 2003 refers to number of individuals who have started work through the New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit.
	2. Information from April 2003 refers to total Jobcentre Plus recorded job entries through New Deal 50 plus and could include people who have left the programme more than once and started more than one job through the programme.
	Sources:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
	Jobcentre Plus Management Information Portal
	
		New Deal for Disabled People in Scotland to March 2004
		
			   Of which, sustained 
			 Period Jobs Number As percentage of all jobs 
		
		
			 July 2001 to June 2002 220 160 70.0 
			 July 2002 to June 2003 1,430 840 58.8 
			 July 2003 to March 2004 1,480 880 59.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data is from July 2001 when New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) was launched nationally.
	2. Data is to March 2004 as 13 weeks has to be allowed for jobs to become sustained.
	3. For the purposes of New Deal for Disabled People, a job is regarded as sustained when a person, placed into work through a Job Broker, remains in work for 13 out of 39 weeks. Prior to October 2003, an NDDP job was regarded as sustained when a person, placed into work through a Job Broker, remained in work for 26 out of 39 weeks.
	4. Information related to jobs gained through NDDP Job Brokers.
	5. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	6. Percentages are calculated from unrounded figures.
	Source:
	DWP Information and Analysis Directorate

Nuclear Industry Inspectorate

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of the Health and Safety Executive with regard to the Nuclear Industry Inspectorate's ability to provide nuclear safety assurances during the dispute with Prospect.

Jane Kennedy: In my previous answer of 18 October 2004, Official Report, column 477W, I said I had asked the Chief Inspector to keep me informed if he believed that NII's ability to provide the nuclear safety assurance we all require was being put at risk. He does not believe this to be the case at present, but continues to keep the position under review.

Pension Credit

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the reasons were for changing the publication schedule of pension credit uptake levels from monthly to quarterly; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Pension credit reporting arrangements were originally designed for a new policy bedding in during its first year. Information on numbers of pension credit recipients will now be reported on a quarterly basis, in line with reporting practices for other Departmental benefits.

Pensioners

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to improve the take-up of benefits available to older people to prevent winter deaths caused by fuel poverty.

Malcolm Wicks: Winter fuel payments are one of several measures in place to help alleviate fuel poverty. The majority of payments are made automatically without the need to claim. People who have not previously received a payment and who do not receive a Social Security benefit other than child benefit, housing benefit or council tax benefit must claim. Every effort is made to try and contact those who are newly eligible. For those people who do need to make a claim an extensive publicity campaign is carried out. This begins three months before the qualifying week in September and continues to the end of March. The campaign includes advertisements in national and local press, a leaflet and poster made available in a variety of venues, a dedicated winter fuel payment helpline and information on the internet.

Pensioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the report setting out the basis of his estimates of the range of pension savings required to avoid dependence on means-tested benefits throughout retirement.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to produce meaningful estimates. The required savings levels are entirely dependent on the assumptions made about the particular circumstances of the individual concerned, and will vary substantially with those assumptions. It would therefore be misleading to publish estimates which could only reflect a limited range of examples.

Pensioners

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners living in the London borough of Wandsworth have an annual income of less than 6,000 per year; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.

Pensions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up rate of the basic state pension is.

Malcolm Wicks: People will become entitled to a state pension if they meet the qualifying conditions. However, there is no statutory requirement for them to claim their state pension at state pension age. Some people may choose to defer claiming their state pension.
	The latest available figures for Great Britain show that the total number of people of state pension age or over is 10,743,338 of whom 10,420,000 are in receipt of a state pension.
	Note:
	The number in receipt of a basic state pension is taken from a 5 per cent. sample and is therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation. The figure is rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Sources:
	1. Population informationOffice for National Statistics and General Register Office Scotland (population estimates as at mid-2003).
	2. Numbers in receipt of a basic state pension IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample as at 31 March 2004.

Pensions

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of women in (a) the Scottish Borders, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain are entitled to the full basic state pension in their own right.

Malcolm Wicks: The percentage of the female population in (a) the Scottish Borders (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain who get a full Category A basic State Pension in their own right is in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Scottish Borders 14.6 
			 Scotland 13.8 
			 Great Britain 12.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Recipient figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	2. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	3. The relevant female population refers to females aged 60 and over living in the specified areas.
	4. A full basic State Pension was 77.45 in 200304. The percentages in the answer relate solely to those women who qualified for that amount based on their own national insurance record.
	Sources:
	Number of recipientsIAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample as at 31 March 2004.
	Population data is from the Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotlandmid-2003.

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expenditure on contracted-out rebates went on (a) approved personal pensions, (b) stakeholder pensions, (c) contracted-out money purchase schemes and (d) defined benefit pensions in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the following table:
	
		 billion
		
			  Estimated cost of rebates 
			  (a) (b) (c) (d)  
			 Tax year APPS SHPS COMPS DBS Total 
		
		
			 199798 2.2 0.5 4.7 7.4 
			 199899 2.2 0.6 5.0 7.8 
			 19992000 2.4 0.5 5.2 8.2 
			 200001 2.7 0.6 5.4 8.7 
			 200102 2.8 0.5 5.6 9.0 
			 200203 3.5 0.6 6.3 10.5 
			 200304 3.2 0.6 6.4 10.2 
			 200405 3.4 0.6 6.7 10.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures do not sum due to rounding (to nearest 100 million) and are consistent with the rebate estimates for the 2004 Pre-Budget Report.
	2. Figures are for Great Britain only and are calculated on an accruals' basis where actual data exists and on GAD estimates where it does not (from 200203 onwards).
	3. Information on rebate expenditure for stakeholder pensions is not separately available and has been included (from 200203) with the APR expenditure.
	4. The large increase in expenditure for 200203 is due to the increase in the level of the rebate which applied from the beginning of that tax-year.
	Source:
	Government Actuary's Department (GAD)

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many stakeholder pensions are (a) contracted into and (b) contracted out of the state second pension.

Malcolm Wicks: Figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) show that 2,195,521 stakeholder pensions have been sold up to the end of September 2004. Information on numbers contracted out through stakeholder pensions for the tax years 200102 and 200203 will be available later this month.

Retirement

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the financial effects arising from the proposed change in the retirement age in the first five years after the change.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are considering what to do about employer's retirement ages in response to the Age Matters consultation and other consultations. The assessment of proposals and options on which the Government consulted are in the Age Matters consultation. Costs and benefits are contained in the Regulatory Impact Assessment. Both are available in the Library.

Winter Fuel Payment

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received winter fuel payments in Bolton, North East.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in Bolton, North East who received a winter fuel payment in winter 200304 was 17,575. We would expect the number for winter 200405 to be similar.
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Local authorities and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Winter Fuel Payment

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have requested application forms for winter fuel payments via e-mail since the facility became available.

Malcolm Wicks: Up to 5 December 2004 there have been 846 requests for winter fuel payment application forms via e-mail.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the winter fuel payment advertising and publicity campaign has been in each year since its introduction.

Malcolm Wicks: We carry out a publicity campaign each year to inform people about winter fuel payments. This usually comprises advertising, production and distribution of an information leaflet together with accompanying posters and mailings to advisers and other third parties, in line with the objectives of each year's campaign.
	The table sets out total publicity costs for each winter fuel payments campaign since 2001, the year in which the Department for Work and Pensions was created.
	Due to differences in the way winter fuel payments publicity was developed and funded before the Department was set up it is not possible to obtain like-for-like figures prior to 2001 without incurring disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Expenditure () 
		
		
			 200102 718,000 
			 200203 793,000 
			 200304 938,000 
			 200405 (15)815,000 
		
	
	(15) Estimated.
	These figures are exclusive of VAT.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the assumptions were behind the fall in the projected cost of winter fuel payments in 200607 and 200708 compared with previous years.

Malcolm Wicks: The commitments to increase winter fuel payments from 150 to 200 a year and to pay an additional 100 to households with someone aged 80 or over were both made for the lifetime of this Parliament. The projected costs of winter fuel payments in 200607 and 200708 reflect this.

Winter Fuel Payment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) people and (b) households in the (i) North Southwark and Bermondsey and (ii) Dulwich and West Norwood constituencies were (A) eligible to receive and (B) received the winter fuel payment in 200304.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of people in the North Southwark and Bermondsey and Dulwich and West Norwood constituencies who were eligible to receive a winter fuel payment. DWP administrative data does not contain complete information on household circumstances and payments are based on household composition.
	The information on payments made is in the table.
	
		
			 Parliamentary constituency Number of people who received a winter fuel payment in 200304 Number of households that received a winter fuel payment in 200304 
		
		
			 North Southwark and  Bermondsey 12,180 9,890 
			 Dulwich and West  Norwood 13,060 10,030 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Any residence found to have four or more occupants is not included in these figures as it is assumed to be a residential care or nursing home.
	3. Local authorities and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

CABINET OFFICE

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her target time is in 200405 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in her Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office target time for replying to letters from hon. Members is 15 working days. The same target time applies to officials replying to letters received directly from members of the public.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament/Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total cost to the Office was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 855W.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to the Office that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Ruth Kelly: The Cabinet Office has not implemented any EU directives or regulations in the last two years.

Regulatory Reform Orders

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Regulatory Reform Orders have been approved by the House in each year since 2001; and what target has been set by the Government for the number of Regulatory Reform Orders to be approved by 2005.

Ruth Kelly: Since 2001, a total of 20 Regulatory Reform Orders have been made, and a further eight proposals have been laid for parliamentary scrutiny. The number of Regulatory Reform Orders made each year since 2001 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 1 
			 2002 7 
			 2003 8 
			 2004 4 
		
	
	In 2002 the Cabinet Office set a Public Service Agreement target to deliver 60 Regulatory Reform Orders by the end of financial year 200506.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  whether she has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in her Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in her Office between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Ruth Kelly: Paragraph 22 of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers states that any civil servant who believes that the action of a special adviser goes beyond that adviser's authority or breaches the Civil Service Code should raise the matter immediately with the Secretary of the Cabinet or the First Civil Commissioner, directly or through a senior civil servant.
	Information relating to complaints made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners is set out in the Civil Service Commissioners' annual report. Copies of reports for the period 199697 to 200304 are available in the Library and can also be obtained on-line at www.civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk.

Sustainable Timber

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans her Department has to fund the (a) establishment and (b) maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber.

Ruth Kelly: Cabinet Office has offered to assist with funding for the creation of a Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET). It is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) responsibility to establish whether offers and/or fees and charges would be appropriate for the establishment and maintenance of CPET.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Angola

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid programmes, have been supported in Angola during each of the last five years; at what value; and what programmes his Department is planning for the next three years.

Hilary Benn: The following areas of work have been supported by DFID during each of the last five financial years:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 Peace building  
			 19992000 0 
			 200001 72,000 
			 200102 25,735 
			 200203 165,827 
			 200304 607,814 
			 200405 456,808 
			   
			 Humanitarian assistance  
			 19992000 4,005,971 
			 200001 2,104,295 
			 200102 2,191,312 
			 200203 6,835,881 
			 200304 3,783,907 
			 200405 2,163,084 
			   
			 Economic reform and poverty reduction (including HIV/AIDS) 
			 19992000 0 
			 200001 0 
			 200102 48,275 
			 200203 221,891 
			 200304 239,011 
			 200405 864,293 
			   
			 Other sectors: e.g. education, urban poverty 
			 19992000 1,122,885 
			 200001 1,638,116 
			 200102 1,245,182 
			 200203 2,412,262 
			 200304 2,990,604 
			 200405: 1,915,897 
		
	
	In addition to the figures in the table DFID is also supporting a democratisation programme to the value of 200,000 in the year 200405.
	DFID's current activities in the above areas of focus (peace-building, humanitarian reform, economic reform and poverty reduction) will continue until the end of 2006. DFID will remain actively involved in supporting Angola's post-conflict transition and is also looking at how we can strengthen our collaboration with the World Bank (WB) and European Commission (EC). We are also looking at what more we can do to include Angola in DFID's support to the wider South African Development Community (SADC).
	DFID is also funding programmes in Angola multilaterally, through the EC and the UN. In 2002 (the latest available figures) the UK's attributed share of multilateral expenditure in Angola was as follows:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 EC 5 
			 UN 1.5

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The cost of in-house canteen services provided in the UK in each of the last two years were as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200203 111,859 
			 200304 181,237 
		
	
	The increase, year-on-year, is in part attributable to costs incurred with re-tendering and setting up of the new canteen contract in our East Kilbride office.
	There are no other catering services provided by DFID. Costs incurred in our overseas offices are not available centrally and could not be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to assist humanitarian agencies in overcoming obstruction of the delivery of assistance to displaced persons on the border between Thailand and Burma.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Most internally displaced people live in sensitive or conflict-affected areas to which international agencies have limited access. Securing increased access to such areas for development agencies is an important objective of DFID. We are currently working with International organisations such as the UN to encourage the Burmese authorities to do this. DFID is providing 500,000 to support the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross which has been able to gradually increase its access within Burma over the last three years and is now operating in significant areas of Shan and Karen states and Tenassarim division.
	The UK Government are doing everything they can to press the Burmese authorities to begin a genuine process of reform involving all political parties and ethnic groups in Burma. Political progress is essential to underpin an end to the conflict that is both a major cause of displacement of people in Burma and a fundamental obstacle to meeting the needs of many poor people in Burma, including internally displaced people.

Burma

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate the Government have made of the number of people that remain displaced from their homes in the eastern regions of Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK has not made an independent estimate of the number of people displaced from their homes in eastern Burma. However, in October 2004, the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) estimated that the number of people displaced from their homes in eastern Burma was at least 526,000. The TBBC estimated that of these people, 365,000 were living in temporary settlements in areas administered by the ethnic minority cease-fire groups; 77,000 were living in designated relocation sites in areas administered by the Burmese authorities; and 84,000 were in hiding in conflict areas.
	The situation of these internally displaced people, and that of many other poor people in rural Burma, is extremely vulnerable. Reliable statistics are not available. But access to education and primary health care is limited, and poverty is widespread. DFID is working with the UN, International Committee of the Red Cross and others to help improve access to these populations and to provide protection and assistance to them.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will estimate for each country in southern Africa in the period between now and the next harvest (a) how many people will have insufficient food, (b) what the country's overall food surplus or deficit will be and (c) how much food aid has been pledged by donors.

Hilary Benn: The UN and the Vulnerability Assessment Committees (VACs) have estimated that around 5.6 million people in southern Africa will be food insecure until June 2005. There is, however, some debate as to how many of these require emergency food relief and how many are part of the caseload of people who are affected by structural, long-term food insecurity outside crisis situations, and for whom short term food aid is an inappropriate and unsustainable response.
	Estimates from the Food and Early Warning System Network (FEWS-NET) indicate that the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region will have a surplus of 1.9 million tonnes of cereals in the 200405 growing season, after allowing for planned imports. The situation varies quite considerably for individual countries both at national, sub national and household levels however, and VAC assessments will remain important in determining the appropriate level of short-term, emergency response.
	Donors have already covered 80 per cent. of the food aid requirements set out in the current UN Consolidated Appeal for southern Africa, covering the period to December 2004. The WFP plans a Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation to cover January 2005 to December 2007 and has appealed for $404 million of food aid assistance. Most donors are currently considering their response to this latest appeal.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to promote cash-based and income generating initiatives in place of food aid in southern Africa.

Hilary Benn: In many southern African countries, significant numbers of poor people are food insecure even when there is no food crisis. Ill health, unemployment, and lack of other means to obtain food (production, welfare payments, or family and non-governmental support) all contribute to a longer-term, structural food insecurity problem.
	DFID is increasing its support for income generating initiatives, and is encouraging the development of cash transfer programmes (as part of wider poverty reduction efforts in partnership with Governments), in order to address the long-term vulnerability issue underlying the present food insecurity in the region.
	In Zambia, DFID is working with Government to implement cash transfers as part of a wider social protection policy aimed at vulnerable, food insecure groups. In Lesotho, DFID is supporting agricultural income generating programmes as an alternative to food aid provision. DFID is also keen to explore how the Government of Lesotho's plans to pay pensions to senior citizens can be developed to provide cash transfers for a wider group of vulnerable, food insecure people. In Malawi, DFID is supporting the development of Government's new National Food and Nutrition Security Policy. This builds on experience in Ethiopia and Zambia in order to tackle the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity by raising agricultural productivity and providing more efficient safety nets to people who are predictably food insecure.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government take to ensure that responses to short-term food deficits in southern Africa do not undermine longer-term development.

Hilary Benn: DFID is very concerned and aims to ensure that short-term responses to food insecurity does not jeopardise longer-term approaches to sustainable development.
	In southern Africa, DFID has been important supporters of the Vulnerability Assessment Committees (VAC) at county and regional levels. This support has given us detailed information on the numbers of food insecure people who will require emergency assistance and, equally important, enables us to understand what responses are most appropriate to long-term food insecurity in the region. The VAC reports clearly underline that food aid alone is not an appropriate solution to underlying food insecurity conditions in southern Africa.
	DFID's support for these country-owned VACs has stimulated discussions about longer-term responses to vulnerability, moving beyond food aid. DFID country programmes in Malawi, Zambia, and Lesotho are already acting on these recommendations and are incorporating a wider range of responses, including cash transfers, into longer-term poverty plans.

Renewable Natural Resources

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his plans are for archiving each of the programmes in the Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Public Records Acts apply to records created by or belonging to Crown Departments and certain public bodies. Information held by programmes contracted under DFID's Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy is the property of the contractors. Results from these programmes are reported to DFID and made publicly available through the Natural Resources Information System: found at www.narsis.org. Work is currently under way in DFID to develop a new knowledge management system that will ensure the continued availability of this information when the programmes end.

Zimbabwe

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contingency plans are in place to ensure that food aid, if required in Zimbabwe over the next few months, is distributed fairly on the basis of humanitarian needs.

Hilary Benn: Earlier this year the Government of Zimbabwe announced a bumper maize harvest of 2.4 million metric tonnes and declared that international food aid will not be required in the period up to the next harvest, around April 2005. Several independent surveys have suggested that the actual harvest was considerably less than the Government has claimed. The recently released Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment (ZimVAC) indicates that 2.3 million people in the rural areas and 2.5 million people in urban areas will be unable to meet their food requirements in the 'hungry season' preceding the next harvest. Meanwhile, the Government of Zimbabwe appears to be importing substantial amounts of grain. Without accurate information about production or imports, it is difficult to assess food security prospects for the coming months. Donors, UN agencies and others are monitoring the situation closely.
	After the last harvest, the Government of Zimbabwe restricted the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to distributing only limited amounts of food aid, mainly through schools and clinics, reaching approximately 600,000 people per month. At this rate, there was a danger that the WFP grain stocks in Zimbabwe carried over from last year's humanitarian operations would spoil before distribution. Faced with the alternative that the WFP would export the grains to other countries in the region where they are needed, the Government of Zimbabwe recently authorised the WFP to undertake a large-scale one-off food distribution to 1.8 million of the poorest people in areas experiencing the most severe food shortages, to take place as soon as possible.
	This food distribution, likely to be the only donor-funded food distribution at scale during the present season, will be implemented using the same procedures as applied in previous WFP humanitarian operations. Political pressure on agencies implementing relief programmes may increase over the coming months; however, to date such donor-funded programmes have remained relatively free of political interference. DFID Zimbabwe is working closely with the WFP, the UN system and our partner organisations to emphasise adherence to procedures that ensure assistance reaches those in most need. Any incidences of irregularity will be comprehensively reported, investigated and dealt with appropriately, as in previous years.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Accountancy Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: Total costs to the DTI for accountancy services are detailed in the following table.
	
		 million 
		
			  1. Accounts Services Provision 2. PFI Agreement 3. System Upgrade 4. Services to Internal Audit 
		
		
			 200203 2.7 1.4 5 0.4 
			 200304 3.2 1.4 3.5 0.4 
		
	
	1. The Department entered into a contract for the provision of accounts services with Amey plc, effective from 1 April 2002. The contract covers a 12 year period with a break option at seven years and covers a number of additional services not provided under the previous contract.
	2. The Department entered into a PFI agreement to maintain hardware to support accounts services provision. The PFI agreement continues until September 2008.
	3. The Department implemented an updated financial accounting system in September 2003.
	4. Internal Audit services to the Department are delivered under a strategic partnership arrangement with Ernst and Young.

British Summer Time

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will bring forward legislation to make British summer time permanent and end the biannual time change.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government have no plans to alter the present summer time arrangements, but we shall continue to listen to the arguments for and against change.

British Summer Time

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the (a) economic and (b) safety impact of the biannual time change.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A European Directive harmonises the dates when summer time begins and ends across EC member states as the last Sundays in March and October respectively, and each member state is obliged to move their clocks by one hour at 1.00 am GMT on that date. The purpose of the Directive is to assist planning by ensuring uniformity in summer time dates across the community, thus removing uncertainty for industry and the public in general about Summer Time dates across EC member states.
	Given these arrangements, the Government have not undertaken any research specifically addressing the economic or safety impacts of the biannual time change, other than as part of the consultation document published in June 1989 (Summer TimeA Consultation Document (Cm 722), which set out the more important arguments and facts about existing summer time arrangements and proposals for change in terms of their economic and social effects, and which concluded that the issues revolved around the basis of opinion and judgment rather than any balance sheet of gains and losses.
	In addition, the Department for Transport has previously commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to update and refine earlier research on the possible impact of the adoption of Central European time on the number of road accident casualties. The results were published on 14 October 1998.

Business Support

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list spending on (a) business support products and (b) administration by (i) the Small Business Service, (ii) other departmental support for small business and (iii) innovation within the departmental activity of Commercial Best Practice and Enterprise for each year since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: The following tables show (a) the total spend on business support products, (b) the total spending on administration by the Small Business Service on all activities, and (c) spending on administration for other departmental support for small business and innovation within the departmental activity of Commercial Best Practice and Enterprise. A detailed analysis of Small Business Service spend by specific products or areas of expenditure cannot be identified other than at disproportionate cost.
	
		Business support
		
			   million 
			 Financial year Net spending 
		
		
			 199798 565.9 
			 199899 582.4 
			 19992000 590.8 
			 200001 607.8 
			 200102 684.0 
			 200203 717.2 
			 200304 712.3 
		
	
	
		Small Business Service administration costs (all activities)
		
			   million 
			 Financial year Net spending 
		
		
			 199798 n/a 
			 199899 n/a 
			 19992000 n/a 
			 200001 10.2 
			 200102 13.4 
			 200203 18.0 
			 200304 19.3 
		
	
	
		Other administration costs in support of small business and innovation within the departmental activity of commercial best practice and enterprise
		
			   million 
			 Financial year Net spending 
		
		
			 199798 n/a 
			 199899 129.9 
			 19992000 112.4 
			 200001 96.6 
			 200102 93.0 
			 200203 97.2 
			 200304 104.6

Butane Fuel

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the proportion of cigarette lighters being used in the UK which have been imported.

Jacqui Smith: The Office for National Statistics' Prodcom Report PRA 36639 (Product Sales and Trade(Other Manufacturing) identifies no sales of cigarette lighters from UK manufacturers' own production from 2000 to 2003, though some very small scale production may not be covered. The UK market is essentially met by imports.

Butane Fuel

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of butane lighter fuel used in the UK in the last period for which figures are available was produced in the UK.

Jacqui Smith: Consumption of butane in the UK was 915,000 tonnes in 2003, of which 714,000 tonnes was consumed for non-energy use. About 20 per cent. of these amounts were imported. It is not possible to disaggregate how much butane was used in lighters and what proportion of that was UK produced.

Butane Fuel

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the size of the UK market for butane lighter fuel.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not available

Competitiveness Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Competitiveness Council held 25 and 26 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: I attended the Competitiveness Council on 25 November and my noble Friend Lord Sainsbury of Turville attended on 26 November. Lord Sainsbury also attended the first ever Space Council, a joint meeting of the Council of the European Union and Council of the European Space Agency, on 25 November.
	The Council took note of a report from the presidency on the current EU economic situation and welcomed the Commission's Competitiveness Package, consisting of the Commission's Competitiveness Report 2004, the Innovation Scoreboard and the Enterprise Policy Scoreboard. In discussion, Ministers emphasised the need to progress the regulatory reform agenda, particularly in developing more robust competitiveness impact assessment.
	Ministers discussed the Council's approach to the Lisbon Mid Term Review and their views on the recent report of the High Level Group chaired by Wim Kok. The Council broadly welcomed this report as a helpful basis for the Mid Term Review and agreed with the recommendation that stressed the need to focus on growth, employment and productivity as preconditions for social cohesion and sustainable development. Ministers also recognised that the Competitiveness Council had a lead role to play in three out of the five priority areas identified in the Kok report (the knowledge society, the business climate, and the internal market) and co-responsibility for the other two (an inclusive labour market and an environmentally sustainable future). Member states agreed the need to take steps at all levels, particularly at member state level, to ensure the Lisbon goals are realised.
	The Council adopted conclusions on Better Regulation and simplification of legislation. The UK welcomed the recent Commission progress report on improving impact assessment procedures, including boosting assessment of competitiveness impacts, and stressed again the importance of regulatory reform, with support from a number of member states. The Council also approved a list of 15 simplification priorities, which will now be sent to the Commission for further consideration.
	The Council had a policy debate on the draft REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), based around a presidency report of discussions so far in the ad hoc Working Group on Chemicals. A number of issues were discussed, including REACH impact assessment, data requirements for low-volume substances and the joint submission of data (including cost sharing). On the latter, the UK presented a paper jointly with Hungary promoting the One Substance, One Registration (OSOR) principle. In conclusion, the Council instructed its preparatory bodies to consider these key issues in greater detail, taking account of competitiveness issues (particularly for SMEs) human health and environmental issues, simplification of administrative processes and efficient use of resources.
	The Council had its first discussion on the draft directive establishing a general legal framework for services in the internal market designed to eliminate obstacles to freedom of establishment for service providers and free movement of services between member states. In discussion, Council underlined the political and economic significance of the proposed directive in the context of the Lisbon Strategy and the realisation of an internal market in services. Member states also discussed the country of origin principle, administrative simplification and administrative cooperation. I reiterated the UK's support for the market opening objectives of this proposed directive and our support in principle for the country of origin principle, subject to certain assurances on health and safety issues. The Council will return to this dossier at future meetings.
	The Council agreed on a general approach to a directive on cross-border mergers of limited liability companies governed by the laws of different member states. UK voted in favour.
	The Council unanimously agreed a proposed regulation on the monitoring of trade in drug precursors between the Community and third countries. UK supported this measure, which regulates trade in chemicals that can be used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
	The Council had an exchange of views on the textiles and clothing industry, taking into account the Commission's communication of the recommendations of the High Level Group for this sector, which looked at improving the industry's competitiveness. Council conclusions were adopted.
	The Council discussed developments in international negotiations on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and approved a modification to the Commission's negotiating mandate. This revised mandate should enable the Commission to finalise negotiations with international partners. The modified negotiating directives also confirm European support for Cadarache in France as the preferred site for ITER. The UK agreed with these modifications.
	Ministers held a policy debate on future European research policy. The presidency's conclusions emphasised the importance of research policy in the context of the Lisbon Strategy. There was broad agreement on the principles for the next Framework Programme (FP7) and a high degree of support for funding of basic research as part of this programme. Lord Sainsbury emphasised the need for a formal Commission proposal on FP7 as early as possible in 2005 and outlined the UK's vision for FP7, stressing the need to create world-class centres of excellence in Europe to attract the best young researchers. The Commission said that they hoped to present formal proposals on FP7 by April 2005.
	Five items were taken under Any Other Business. Commissioner Verheugen gave a progress report on the shipbuilding-related LeaderSHIP 2015 initiative. The presidency gave Council information on the fifth Euro-med Conference on Industry, held at Caserta in October, at which the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise and Caserta declaration were adopted. Further to discussion at the last Competitiveness Council, the presidency provided information regarding efforts by member states to improve their records on timely transposition of internal market legislation. The presidency provided information on conferences held during the Dutch presidency relating to competitiveness. The Council took note of a UK paper reminding the Commission of March 2004 Council Conclusions that invited the Commission to consider establishing a European Centres of Enterprise award scheme, with a view to the scheme's introduction during 2005. Commissioner Verheugen expressed support for taking the scheme forward.
	The first ever Space Council took place (a joint and concomitant meeting of the Council of the European Union and European Space Agency (ESA) at ministerial level). Ministers discussed the development of a European Space Policy and a set of orientations were agreed that set out the general approach and some next steps. These highlighted the strategic importance of space activities to a broad spectrum of European policies and stated that the European Space Programme (ESP) would provide a flexible, common and inclusive framework for EU, ESA and other stakeholders to operate within. UK supported the orientations and the development of a realistic and affordable ESP as a way of coordinating European space activities. Further meetings of the Space Council may take place during 2005.

Consumer Direct (West Midlands)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to launch Consumer Direct in the West Midlands; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Under current plans the Consumer Direct service is expected to be launched in the West Midlands region during financial year 200607.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her target time is in 200405 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in her Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has a target of 15 days for responding to correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers and for responding to members of the public in line with Whitehall Standards.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department undertakes a wide variety of projects as part of on-going maintenance and improvements of its current stock. The cost of refurbishment projects involving significant works to the building services and fabric of the DTI HQ estate for the last two complete financial years is as follows:
	
		000
		
			 Financial year Refurbishment 
		
		
			 2002/03 1,,680 
			 2003/04 2,300

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department does not record separately the cost of criminal damage but we are not aware of any significant expenditure over the last two years.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in her Department in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has incurred no costs relating to the DTI HQ estate for new builds, demolitions or new private finance initiative building projects over the past two years.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on energy costs incurred by her Department in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department procures its energy via competitive tender. Expenditure on energy on the DTI HQ estate is 942,144 (200203) and 958,719 (200304) of which 34 per cent. was from renewable sources (average for the two years).

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by her Department in each of the last two years.

Patricia Hewitt: There have been no costs in the last two years associated with the in house canteen. The cost of other catering services for the London Headquarters estate was approximately l million in 200203 and 1.2 million in 200304.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers, special advisers and officials in her Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Responsibility for the provision of mobile telephones for official purposes and for payment of associated call charges was devolved to individual directorates, agencies and NDPBs at the end of March 1993. Since August 1997, the DTI has increasingly made use of the central Mobile Telecommunications contract managed by the Office of Government Commerce. This contract allows DTI users access to mobile telephone services and products at advantageous prices ensuring that the Department obtains good value for money. Due to the devolved responsibility for mobile telephone management the only information that can be provided at non-disproportionate cost is the total expenditure with DTI's main suppliers of mobile telephones and the number of handsets supplied through the central OGC contract since 2002.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 1998 90,881 
			 1999 263,123 
			 2000 226,695 
			 2001 342,964 
			 2002 (16)342,881 
			 2003 (17)410,372 
		
	
	(16) 549 mobile telephones on the central contract.
	(17) 776 mobile telephones on the central contract.
	Cost figures are not available for 1997 due to a change in the Department's accounting system over that period.

Electrical Accidents

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured due to electrical accidents in their homes; and how many of these took place in (i) bathrooms and (ii) kitchens.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DTI no longer provides a service on accident statistics. Information on fatalities can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk tel. 0870 154 5500 and the Office for National Statistics: www.statistics.gov.uk tel. 0845 601 3034; or for non-fatalities from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents: www.rospa.com tel. 0870 777 2171.

Electricity Generation (Renewables)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much capital grant aid she is planning to provide to (a) wind, (b) solar, (c) tidal, (d) hydro and (e) thermal generators of electricity in the forthcoming financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The total for wind, through the Capital Grants for Round 1 offshore wind farms programme is 117 million.
	For solar photovoltaic (PV) via the Major PV Demonstration Programme the total budget is 31 million, this includes additional funding of 6 million announced in September 2004. Along with the PV funding there are also grants for solar thermal projects available through the Clear Skies programme (the programme has 12.5 million in funding though this is not specifically earmarked for solar but for all eligible renewables), which includes an extra 2.5 million also announced in September. Both these schemes ran to March 2006.
	With regards to wave and tidal in August the Government announced a 50 million Marine Renewables Development Fund that will provide continued support to wave and tidal stream technologies. The fund will be primarily focused on supporting a number of pre-commercial demonstrations. Options for delivering the fund are currently under consideration and we will undertake an informal consultation on our proposals in the new year.
	Some Hydro and Thermal schemes qualify under the Clears Skies programme.

Emissions Trading Scheme

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the potential effects of electricity power generators buying and selling (a) gas and (b) other fuels on future markets on the emissions trading scheme.

Mike O'Brien: We expect the EU Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) to encourage generators to switch from using high carbon fuels (e.g. coal or oil) to lower or zero carbon fuels (e.g. gas or hydro). Such switching will have an effect on forward markets for the different fuels. The extent of this switching will be determined by the price of carbon, as well as the relative fuel prices and other costs associated with power generation from different types of plant. The price of carbon will be determined across the whole of the EU. The differences in behaviour of individual UK market participants are expected to have only a minimal impact on the price of carbon. The potential effect of differing assumptions about the ETS on the generation fuel mix was assessed in the study (Implications of the EU ETS for the Power SectorAnnex C), for DTI, by ILEX in September 2003: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/euets.shtml

EU Social Chapter

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what her estimate is of the administrative costs to UK employers of providing the EU Social Chapter rights; and what methodology she used for calculating the cost;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the cost to UK employers of establishing policies associated with EU Social Chapter rights; and what methodology she used to make that estimate.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DTI has estimated the administrative cost to UK employers of transposing the Social Chapter Directives in its Regulatory Impact Assessments. The Directives in question concern:
	(1) Parental leave (including the 1999 extension to the implementing Regulations)
	(2) European Works Councils
	(3) Part-time work
	(4) Burden of proof in sex discrimination cases
	(5) Fixed term employees
	(6) Information and consultation.
	The total administrative(or implementation(costs to UK employers associated with the provision of these EU Social Chapter rights is 0.68 million a year. Additionally, the DTI identified one-off implementation costs, estimated to be in the region of 3.3 million. It should be noted that the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessments also highlighted significant benefits associated with the Social Chapter Directives.

Faraday Partnerships

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for future investment in the Faraday Partnerships.

Patricia Hewitt: Under the guidance of the newly appointed Technology Strategy Board, my Department is now preparing a call for Knowledge Transfer Networks in specific technologies. These Networks are a new product based upon the example and success of the 24 Faraday Partnerships and will provide what we believe to be an excellent opportunity for relevant Faraday Partnerships to bid for continuing, or even increased, DTI support.

Fuel Poverty

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) people and (b) households living in fuel poverty there are in (i) Southwark and (ii) Greater London;
	(2)  what her estimate is of the number of children living in households in fuel poverty in (a) Southwark and (b) Greater London.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 78W. This sets out how the fuel poverty figures for England are produced, and highlights the fact that we are unable to provide estimates for sub-regional level.
	The latest available data for Government office regions suggest that, in 2001, there were 148,000 households in fuel poverty in the Government office for London area but the national statistics have altered since then and it is likely that the London figures have changed too so this is an unreliable figure as a reflection of the situation in 2004. Similarly, It is not possible to produce estimates for the number of children in the cited areas because of the very small sample sizes involved.

Iran

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the United Kingdom has offered assistance to Iran to (a) build a nuclear power plant and (b) provide nuclear technology for such a plant.

Mike O'Brien: No.

IT Graduates

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she proposes to take to ensure that the number of students who graduate from information technology courses reaches the levels that are need by the IT industry as stated by the e-Skills UK and Gartner Consulting research published on 1 November.

Mike O'Brien: DTI recognises the need for the UK's training and education in IT skills to meet the needs of industry and is working closely with e-Skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for IT, to produce an industry-led long term strategy to achieve this. e-Skills UK is currently developing a Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) to take forward the issues identified in the IT industry research.
	The SSA, which is due to be launched in early 2005, will include an action plan for employers, educators and Government which DTI will be supporting together with DfES, the Devolved Administrations, Regional Development Agencies and other key stakeholders. In addition, as part of the Government's Skills Strategy published in 2003, e-Skills UK is leading a IT user skills cross sector strategy to improve the links between supply and demand for IT education and training.

Ministerial Meetings

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list her official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans she has to establish a public register of such information.

Patricia Hewitt: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's Official spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

National Minimum Wage

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in the Manchester, Withington constituency have benefited from the national minimum wage since its introduction.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The latest low pay data from the ONS show that 1.1 million people in the UK stood to benefit from the October 2004 uprating of the national minimum wage. The DTI will provide estimates of national minimum wage beneficiaries by region by early January 2005. It is unlikely that figures will be available for the Withington constituency due to small sample size.

Paternity Leave

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the percentage of new fathers who have taken up the right to paid paternity leave since its introduction.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We are waiting for the full set of figures on the take up of paternity pay that has been reclaimed by employers before making an assessment. We expect to receive this information from the Inland Revenue in February 2005.

Plutonium Shipment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what liability was agreed by the Office of Civil Nuclear Security in respect of the shipment of plutonium from the United States to France aboard the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail.

Mike O'Brien: None. Liability arrangements for the shipment were a matter for the relevant authorities in the United States and France.

Post Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the (i) social and (ii) economic role of (A) urban and (B) rural post offices.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has made no such study. But the Government fully recognises the social and economic role of post offices, regarding it as most important that people have good access to postal and Government services, and is committed to doing all it can to ensure a viable Post Office network for the future.
	For the rural network the Post Office has made a firm commitment to maintain the network and prevent avoidable closures. The Government has underpinned that with 750 million of funding.
	For the urban network the Government is providing up to 180 million available to fund compensation payments to subpostmasters leaving the network under Post Office Ltd's reinvention programme and up to 30 million to fund improvements at offices that remain.

Post Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to increase the amount of money available to revitalise the urban post office network; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has no plans to increase its funding for the urban post office network. Up to 180 million is available to compensate sub-postmasters leaving the network under Post Office Ltd's urban reinvention programme and up to 30 million to fund improvements to remaining urban post offices. Funds remain available for both purposes.

Post Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will encourage banks to enable their customers (a) to access bank accounts and (b) conduct other transactions at post offices; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: More than 20 million current accounts are accessible at post offices and it is Post Office Limited's strategy to build on this. The Government would urge all banks to provide their customers with access to their accounts through post offices but we recognise that the decision to do so is a commercial matter for the individual institutions concerned.

Post Office

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to ask the post office (a) to simplify the post office card account application process and (b) to allow card accounts to be opened at post offices; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. The Department of Trade and Industry has no role in the post office card account, which is delivered by Post Office Limited under contract to the Department for Work (DWP) and Pensions, Inland Revenue and the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency. I understand that there is no need to change the process, which is already simple and working well. Independent research commissioned by the DWP shows that more than 80 per cent. of customers found the process of opening a card account to be easy. Over 4 million customers have already opened a Post Office card account.

Power Stations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage the retrofitting of clean-coal technology to UK power stations; and what percentage reduction in carbon emissions from such stations she estimates such action would achieve.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 6 December 2004
	DTI is developing a Carbon Abatement Technology Strategy to address the future requirements for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from large-scale power generation in the UK using fossil fuels, including coal. The issue of retrofitting of cleaner-coal technology to UK power stations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is being considered within this strategy which is due to be published in the new year.
	In addition, the EU emissions trading scheme comes into effect from 1 January 2005. This scheme will encourage UK power stations to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The retrofitting of cleaner coal technologies is one of many options available to power station operators to achieve this.
	The actual carbon dioxide emissions reduction from retrofitting of more efficient cleaner coal technologies to UK power stations would depend on the specific design and operating conditions of the technology fitted and that which it was replacing. However, as an indication, savings in the range of 1020 per cent. of carbon dioxide emissions should be possible with the retrofitting of such technologies to coal power stations.

Radioactive Chocolate

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the storage of chocolate radioactively contaminated following the fire at Windscale in 1957.

Mike O'Brien: A fire broke out in Pile 1 on 10 October 1957, and was extinguished on 11 October. Radioactivity was released to the environment. The main public health concern was the contamination of locally produced milk by the short-lived isotope iodine 131. Milk produced within 80 square miles of the site was banned from 12 October, and the ban was extended to 200 square miles on 15 October.
	At that time, the chocolate manufacturer Rowntree ran a factory in Egremont, close to the Windscale site. Records in one UKAEA file show that on 8 November 1957 Rowntree wrote to seek compensation for 90 tons of chocolate milk crumb manufactured between 11 and 15 October, which they believed to have been contaminated as a result of the Windscale fire. UKAEA contested this claim on the grounds that
	the crumb is completely safe for consumption owing to the short half-life of the radioactive iodine which was the sole source of contamination.
	The correspondence continued for some months, culminating in an exchange of letters between the Chairman of Rowntree and Sir Donald Perrott of UKAEA. Rowntree acknowledged
	we fully accept your advice that, as a matter of scientific fact, the 90 tons of crumb do not represent a radioactive hazard,
	but stated that in the interest of customer relations and commercial prudence, they wished to have the crumb destroyed or disposed of. They sought the UKAEA's help to do so, and offered to meet the costs incurred. UKAEA agreed
	to accept responsibility for destroying this material
	on Rowntree's behalf.

Science and Technology Select Committee

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will investigate the allegations made by Dr. Robin Lovell-Badge of improper coercion of Task Force members by Professor Colin Blakemore, concerning the Medical Research Council Task Force examining the future of the National Institute for Medical Research, in his evidence to the Science and Technology Select Committee on 1 December; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The Science and Technology Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the future of the Medical Research Council's (MRC) National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). I understand that this will include the process by which MRC reached its decisions. As the allegations regarding improper coercion were made during an oral evidence session for this inquiry, I will wait with interest for the Select Committee's report and recommendations before deciding whether any further action is needed.

Telephone Preference Service

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the powers to (a) issue penalties and (b) take other actions against companies and individuals who do not adhere to the requirements of the Telephone Preference Service.

Mike O'Brien: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for the enforcement of the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme. A company or individual which breaches their enforcement notice commits a criminal offence subject to a fine of up to 5,000 in a magistrates court.

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council held on 29 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: As Minister for Energy and E Commerce, I represented the UK at the EU Energy Council in Brussels on 29 November.
	The Council considered several matters of interest to the United Kingdom. Chief among these were the Energy Services Directive and the Security of Electricity Supply Directive.
	A general approach on the Security of Electricity Supply Directive was agreed, though the Commission, which seeks a more interventionist regulator-led approach to promote actively new interconnector build and thereby competition, maintained a reserve on Article 7 on interconnector construction.
	Council conclusions were agreed on the Commission's Communication on the share of Renewable Energy in the EU.
	An orientation debate was held on the proposed Energy End Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive. Member States expressed a strong preference for indicative not mandatory energy saving targets though views were mixed on whether a uniform target at EU level would be helpful; many delegations preferred.individually set targets. There was general recognition that the public sector could play a leading role in promoting energy efficiency but the majority of Member States opposed specific targets for the sector. On the question of the placing of obligations on suppliers there was a clear preference for a broader more flexible approach rather than a focus on one energy efficiency approachenergy services. There was broad agreement that a harmonised approach to measuring energy savings was needed, but there was a split on whether a top down or bottom up approach was best.
	The UK noted our support for a uniform, but indicative, six-year target taking account of already captured efficiency gains; a more broadly defined obligation on energy suppliers to actively offer and promote energy efficiency; and agreement with the Presidency proposal for either a top down or a hybrid approach to measuring efficiency gains.
	The Commission's preference for a mandatory target reflected what they saw as the poor record of achievement against indicative targets and they suggested that flexible mandatory targets might be the way forward. The Presidency concluded by proposing an annual debate on progress towards achieving indicative national targets, the first of which would fall to the UK Presidency, and looked forward to concluding the dossier in the Luxembourg Presidency.
	The Commission reported progress on the negotiations of the Energy Community for South East Europe Treaty, which it hoped would be a model for other sectors. Signature was foreseen for 2005. Some Member States had substantive comments on the language regime, others on the distinction between participating and observing Member States. The next negotiation meeting on 13 December will be an opportunity to discuss outstanding matters.
	The Commission reported on its communication on progress on the EU/Russia energy dialogue 200004, claiming it showed positive outcomes across a range of fields. More progress in Russia was needed on the reform process, energy efficiency and Kyoto implementation, promoting and protecting investment and positive developments in the gas and oil markets. The Commission undertook fully to involve Member States.
	The Presidency concluded by noting, in the context of the recent Energy in Motion conference aimed at improving cleaner road traffic, that transport accounted for a third of energy consumption. The conference conclusions would be discussed at the next Transport and Environment Councils and the Commission were urged to take account of them.
	Luxembourg finished by saying they would take forward the Dutch Presidency approaches and singled out Energy TENS as a priority dossier.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations her Department has made to the Greek Government on the export of the Typhoon aircraft.

Jacqui Smith: The proposal to export Typhoon aircraft to Greece is being led by Germany, and the UK is playing a full part in supporting it as a Typhoon partner nation. The Defence Export Services Organisation leads on this for the UK.

Wind Farms

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of applications to build wind farms (a) were accepted, (b) were rejected and (c) are ongoing in the last full year for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: My Department is responsible for considering applications for consent under the Electricity Act 1989 for wind farm projects of more than 50MW in England and Wales and more than 1MW offshore of those countries. My Department also considers applications for Orders for wind farm developments in England under the Transport and Works Act 1992.
	In 2003 which is the last full year for which figures are available, the DTI received consent applications for offshore wind farms and three onshore wind farms, each of which is still under consideration.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU-Burmese joint ventures have been affected by Annex II of the Council Common Position on Burma 2004/730/CFSP and Annex IV of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004.

Jack Straw: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1778W.
	We are aware that one EU company has claimed that they have been erroneously implicated through the listings of state owned enterprises in Annex II of the Common Position on Burma 2004/730/CFSP and Annex IV of Council Regulation 798/2004.
	We are not aware at present that any other EU-Burmese joint ventures have been affected.

China

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governor of Guangdong Province in China during his recent visit to the UK; what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK's bilateral relations with China of the economic growth of Guangdong Province; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Governor of Guangdong, Huang Huahua, visited London from 24 to 27 October to promote business opportunities. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was unable to meet the Governor. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister met the Governor at a major business conference held at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre attended by 1,300 British, Chinese and European representatives. This event saw around 2 billion worth of contracts signed, underlining the success of commercial contracts between the UK and various Guangdong businesses. Economic growth in China and Guangdong Province offers great opportunities for UK business. The Government are working hard with business to realise this potential.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his target time is in 200405 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Jack Straw: The information is as follows:
	(a) 20 working days
	(b) 20 working days

Cyprus

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it a condition of the United Kingdom's support for opening sea ports in northern Cyprus to EU trade that such ports adhere to (a) existing and future European ports directives and (b) health and safety requirements; and how he expects such rules will be enforced.

Denis MacShane: The UK supports the EU's efforts to pass a regulation to enable preferential direct trade between the north of Cyprus and the EU as a way to fulfil the mandate by the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. The draft regulation has not, however, been passed nor has its substance been discussed in detail. When this happens, the Government will want to ensure that the UK's and EU's legitimate interests are protected.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The total cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for accountancy services in each of the last two years was:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200203 1,772,000 
			 200304: 718,000

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The UK Buildings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have suffered criminal damage on one occasion within the past two years: in November 2004. The cost of this damage was 2,135.25, excluding VAT.
	Data regarding the cost of criminal damage to the overseas estate could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The recorded energy costs incurred by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in each of the last two years are:
	
		 
		
			  UK Overseas 
		
		
			 200203 1,407,600 10,705,423 
			 200304 2,264,018 10,422,585

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spent 338,159 in 200203, and 745,975 in 200304, on refurbishment work in the FCO's properties in the UK.
	In 200203 we spent 2,380,000 on overseas refurbishment projects exceeding 250,000 in value. In 200304 there were no overseas refurbishment projects valued at more than 250,000. Responsibility for refurbishment projects overseas valued at less than 250,000 is devolved to overseas posts, and totals could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The cost of refurbishing Ministerial Private Offices in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during the past two years has been:
	200203: Nil
	200304: 17,047

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total external spend by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  200203 200304 
		
		
			 Total external spend 106,459 180,073 
			 Full-time equivalent consultants 0 1 
			 Number of billed consultancy days 80 264 
			 Implied average cost 1,342 per day 682 per day 
			 Number of consultancy firms 3 in period 
		
	
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has two Private Finance Initiative arrangements in place, details of which I gave in my reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 28 October 2004, Official Report, column 1388W.

European Union

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for the UK's general policy on the EU, and accordingly has an interest in the implementation of all EU measures in the UK. Indeed the hon. Member will have noted the joint measures announced by my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the pre-Budget report for ensuring that businesses do not face unnecessary burdens from European law, including though effective transposition. However, there have been no directives or regulations in the past two years which the FCO has had the responsibility of implementing in the UK.

Hamas

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in the week prior to 1 December to (a) the EU High Representative, (b) other governments and (c) other parties regarding contacts with Hamas.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Following Dr. Solana's interview with the Radio 4 Today programme on 25 November, my officials contacted Dr. Solana's spokeswoman to clarify what contacts, if any, Dr. Solana had had with Hamas. Dr. Solana's spokeswoman gave us the same response as contained in her statement of 25 November which I made reference to in my reply of 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 174W. We have not had any other contacts with other governments or other parties in the last week regarding contacts with Hamas.

Human Rights Act

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments.

Jack Straw: Five cases have been brought against me as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under the Human Rights Act 1998. The cost in legal fees to date has been approximately 175,445 (but some cases are ongoing: more costs may be incurred, and some costs may be recovered). No compensation payments have been ordered or made.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the entry clearance operation in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Chris Mullin: Since 1 November, there have been 34 letters from hon. Members about entry clearance in Dhaka, seven from members of the public and two from solicitors.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers there are in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Chris Mullin: Currently, there are 14 entry clearance officers (ECOs) in Dhaka. An additional four ECO positions have been recently approved. The visa section in Dhaka is headed up by three entry clearance managers, a head of Visa Services and a director of Visa Services.
	Dhaka is also provided with seasonal relief staff. During 2004, 16 additional ECOs were posted to Dhaka working there for anything between one and six months.

India

James Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Indian Government about investigations into the attacks on Sikhs in Delhi in 1984.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the 1984 attack on Sikhs in Delhi with the new Indian Government. This Government consider the attacks on the Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 as a matter of regret, and condemn the persecution of individuals or groups because of their religion or beliefs.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it.

Bill Rammell: The last figures available are for the financial year 200304. 98 per cent. of all invoices were paid within the 30-day period, 0.17 per cent. remained unpaid over 90 days.
	Information concerning average payment times is not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary re-signed to the Better Payment Practice Code in July 2003. We remain committed to the aim of paying all undisputed invoices within 30 days of receipt of invoice or goods or services, whichever is the later. We continue to monitor our performance and will, as in previous years, submit our annual return to the Small Business Service for inclusion in the League Table.

Iran

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran about the death of the Bah'i Mr. Mir Naqi Kamali.

Bill Rammell: We have received reports from Baha'i representatives in the UK about the circumstances of Mr. Kamali's death and other examples of discrimination against Baha'is in Iran. We have not raised the specific case of Mr. Kamali with the Iranian authorities, but have on many occasions raised our serious concerns about the situation of the Baha'i community in Iran. With our strong support, the EU presidency called on the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 November to express the EU's concern at demolition of Baha'i holy sites and discrimination against Baha'is for instance in access to education. The rights of Iran's religious minorities including the Baha'is has been an important theme of the EU/Iran Human Rights Dialogue, including the most recent round in June.

Iran

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the treatment by the Iranian courts of offences committed against Bah's.

Bill Rammell: We have serious concerns about the situation of the Bah' community in Iran. We have received reports that Bah' in Iran have suffered intimidation and harassment and face difficulties in securing full and free access to the courts. We have raised our concerns with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including through the EU/Iran human rights dialogue.

Iraq

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans coalition forces have to help those who have fled Fallujah in recent days to return home after the fighting is over; and whether the Iraqi Interim Government has requested assistance from coalition forces to do so.

Bill Rammell: The Iraqi Interim Government are leading the humanitarian and reconstruction effort in Fallujah and the surrounding areas and are developing plans for the return of Internally Displaced Persons from Fallujah.
	The Multi-National Force has established a Civil Military Operations Centre in Fallujah to facilitate the humanitarian and reconstruction effort, and the return of the Internally Displaced Persons, and has provided logistics and planning support. The Multi-National Force stands ready to provide further assistance as requested.

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the (a) coalition forces, (b) Multi-National Force and (c) Iraqi security forces have been (i) killed and (ii) injured by (A) terrorists and (B) insurgents since 1 June 2003; how many Iraqi citizens have been (1) killed and (2) injured by (x) terrorists and (y) insurgents since 1 June 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We understand from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that the number of Multi-National or coalition forces killed since 1 June 2003 is 1,172, of which 937 were killed in action. 22 UK service personnel have been killed in action since 1 June 2004. A further 15 have been killed in accidents and other incidents. Before August 2004, the MOD did not hold centrally figures for the total number of injuries sustained by UK Service personnel, or the causes of those injuries. Minor injuries or illnesses suffered by personnel who were treated in theatre and then returned to duty were not recorded other than on individual Service records. Since August 2004, 65 injuries have been sustained as a result of hostile action. Statistics are not collected for injuries sustained for other reasons.
	We understand that since 15 June 2003, 907 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed and 2,374 injured.
	We have no way of reliably estimating the total number of Iraqi civilians killed since June 2003 but we understand from the Iraqi Interim Government statistics, compiled from hospital records, that during the period 16 June 2004 to 10 September 2004 516 Iraqi civilians were killed and 2,016 injured directly as a result of attacks by the terrorists and insurgents.

Kashmir

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent visit to Kashmir by the Prime Minister of India.

Douglas Alexander: The British Government welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, and his announcement in Srinagar of a significant economic package for the State. We also welcome the Indian Government's decision to withdraw a number of troops from Kashmir. The British Government hope that the improved dialogue between India and Pakistan will, in time, lead to a durable settlement of all the outstanding issues between the two countries, including Kashmir.

Mr. Nick Baker

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in relation to Mr. Nick Baker who is in prison in Japan; whether he or his officials are in discussions concerning this case with Japanese Government Ministers or officials; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We are monitoring Mr. Baker's appeal against his conviction, which is continuing in the Japanese courts. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) raises Mr. Baker's case at ministerial and official level at every appropriate opportunity. The FCO remains in touch with Mr. Baker and his family about his case and will inform them immediately of any developments.

Overseas Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits have been made by (a) Ministers and (b) hon. Members to each of the UK posts in the EU since 2001.

Denis MacShane: Identifying the number of visits by Ministers from all Government Departments and by hon. Members to all our EU posts would incur disproportionate cost.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have, however, made a total of 172 bilateral visits since 2001 to the 24 other member states of the EU.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the UN Security Council has withdrawn reference to further measures to be taken against the Sudanese Government over their actions in Darfur in its latest resolution; and what position the British Government took with regard to this resolution.

Chris Mullin: UN Security Council Resolution 1574, adopted unanimously in Nairobi on 19 November, reiterates the threat of further measures set out in resolutions 1556 and 1564. Operative Paragraph 12 of the resolution states the Council's decision,
	in accordance with previous resolutions on Sudan, . . . to monitor compliance by the parties with their obligations in that regard and, subject to a further decision of the Council, to take appropriate action against any party failing to fulfil its commitments.
	The UK has been closely involved in the Resolution, which reiterates the need for the Government of Sudan and the Rebels to fulfil their obligations in resolving the problems in Darfur peacefully.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the signing of the peace treaty in Nairobi between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement based on the Naivasha protocols.

Chris Mullin: We welcome the commitment made to the Security Council in Nairobi on 19 November by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement to conclude a comprehensive peace agreement by 31 December.
	Technical talks under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development resumed in Nairobi on 26 November, and the Principals reconvened on 6 December with a view to resolving outstanding political issues before the end of the year.

Sustainable Timber

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources.

Bill Rammell: A refurbishment project valued at over 250,000 1 is presently in progress at the Sao Paulo Residence. We expect to start refurbishment projects valued at over 250,000 at the Kingston and Buenos Aires offices in the next six months. All Foreign and Commonwealth Office refurbishment and construction contracts require contractors to procure timber from legal and sustainable sources.
	1 Management of refurbishment projects overseas valued at less than 250,000 is devolved to overseas posts, and details could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Sustainable Timber

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of a central point of expertise on timber.

Bill Rammell: In August 2004 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) wrote to all Government Departments requesting assistance with funding to establish and maintain a Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET). At that time, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was unable to identify funds to support this Defra initiative.
	However, following a further request from Defra, we are now reconsidering this decision, and will be writing to Defra shortly to clarify the situation. We support the objectives of the CPET, which will make a crucial contribution to UK efforts to procure legal and sustainable timber, as part of our wider policy addressing illegal logging.

UK Embassies

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff there were in each of the commercial departments of UK embassies in European countries in each of the last 10 years.

Douglas Alexander: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

United States

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of a renewal of the Mutual Defence Agreement with the United States.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 6 December 2004
	There will be no removal of the Agreement between the UK and the US for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes/Mutual Defence Agreement with the US. However, there will be a renewal.
	I can confirm that the Government are satisfied that the extension of the Agreement between the UK and the US for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes for a further 10 years is compatible with the UK's obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Video Conferencing Units

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number.

Bill Rammell: There are nine room-based video conferencing units and two smaller desktop facilities installed in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK, and none in our agency, Wilton Park. Overseas, there are approximately 90 units, mostly room-based systems. Overall, around 40 per cent. of FCO offices world-wide have access to video conferencing facilities.
	We are considering upgrading the technology used for video-conferencing and how best to increase its use, but these have not yet been translated into formal implementation plans.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Agenda for Change

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the extra costs that will result from the implementation of Agenda for Change in the Province.

Angela Smith: The cost of implementing the Agenda for Change agreement in Northern Ireland has been calculated using an approved UK Treasury Costing Model, and as such the same model has been applied the NHS within the other three UK countries. Additional funding, ranging from 1.43 per cent. on the pay bill in the first year (200405 for six months) to 6.25 per cent. on the non-medical staff pay bill in year five (200809) will be made available to Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) employers to meet the cost of Agenda for Change.

Agenda for Change

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to address the concerns of radiographers in the Province regarding the impact of Agenda For Change on their profession.

Angela Smith: I am aware that the radiography profession recently voted to reject the new Agenda for Change pay system. However, the wider trade unions ballots indicated overwhelming acceptance of the new pay system and implementation of Agenda for Change has now commenced. It will include all radiography staff within the HPSS moving to the new pay arrangements.
	There are ongoing national discussions between the four UK Health Departments and radiography trade union representatives to try and resolve the profession's concerns. We will continue to work with the profession's representatives to ensure their continued engagement with Government's plans to modernise the service.

Agenda for Change

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the starting salary is of radiographers in the Province; and if he will estimate the starting salary for radiographers in the Province after implementation of Agenda For Change.

Angela Smith: The current starting salary for basic grade Radiographers is 18,240. However, graduate radiographers who have completed four years training have a starting salary of 18,915. Under the implementation of the Agenda for Change Pay System, all Radiography jobs will be subjected to a job matching or job evaluation process prior to the determination of salary. The process of job evaluation is designed to measure the job weight and ultimately recognises equal work of equal value. Accordingly, it would be unwise to try to estimate the starting salary for this post under Agenda for Change as this would negate the job matching and evaluation process.

Anti-TNF Medications

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are waiting to commence anti-TNF medications in the Province.

Angela Smith: Figures collected between September and December 2004 indicate that there are 422 people in Northern Ireland waiting to commence treatment with anti-TNF medications.
	My Department remains committed to improving access to anti-TNFs and other specialist medicines. A further 1 million was earmarked for anti-TNF drugs in 200405 to allow Boards to increase the number of patients receiving anti-TNF treatment by at least 100.

Asbestosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in the Province suffer from asbestosis.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

Audiology

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the expenditure per head of population in the Province on audiology goods and services provision in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: The information on which an estimate might be made is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Belfast City Airport

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the operators of Belfast City Airport on the recently proposed scheduling of services.

Angela Smith: Neither the Northern Ireland Office nor any of the 11 Departments of the NI administration has had discussions with the operators of BCA regarding the scheduling of flights.
	BCA does operate under a Planning Agreement which limits its operating hours, the number of air transport movements, the number of seats and provides guidelines regarding the nature of approaches and the noise levels. The Planning Agreement does not include any reference to the scheduling of services.

Bowel Cancer

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce screening in the Province for bowel cancer.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer of 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1361W, question reference 196346

Care Costs

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of providing (a) elderly, (b) hospital, (c) community, (d) maternity and child health, (e) family and childcare and (f) learning disability care in the Province was in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		Total trust expenditure in Northern Ireland --  million
		
			  199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 
		
		
			 Elderly care 337.5 358.9 388.8 413.3 473.6 
			 Hospital 694.0 756.4 821.7 896.8 990.6 
			 Community (excluding personal social services) 142.0 152.7 171.4 193.7 223.0 
			 Maternity and child health 62.3 66.9 71.9 83.5 89.6 
			 Family and child care 66.8 73.9 83.5 94.8 108.0 
			 Learning disability 88.9 94.3 100.5 114.7 136.5 
		
	
	Note:
	Most of the main programmes of care make use of services from the hospital, community and personal social services sectors. Expenditure figures for the hospital and community sectors quoted above can therefore overlap with those for individual programmes.

Child Protection

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in developing an information-sharing protocol between child protection agencies and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: A protocol between the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) and social services for the Joint Investigation of Alleged and Suspected Cases of Child Abuse already exists in Northern Ireland. Co-operating to Safeguard Children, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's guidance on child protection, provides advice on when and how the PSNI should work in partnership with social services regarding such allegations. Regional policies and procedures are also being developed by Area Child Protection Committees (ACPC) to assist agencies and professionals working with sexually active young people. These procedures contain advice on when a referral to the PSNI and child protection agencies is necessary. A regional core group containing representatives from ACPCs, PSNI and NSPCC are currently considering how an information sharing protocol, involving child protection agencies, can be taken forward in Northern Ireland.

Children in Need

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Children in Need strategy will be published for consultation; what issues the strategy will address; and what funding will be made available for the strategy's implementation.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is currently developing a Strategy for Children and Young People in Need in Northern Ireland and is scheduled to consult with relevant stakeholders during 200506. The strategy will look at all issues that concern children in need; in particular, focus will be on child protection, adoption and support. Funding levels will be determined following completion of the strategy, will be influenced by recommendations flowing from the strategy and will be determined in the context of overall priorities.

Commissioner for Children and Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much will be spent per head of child population by the Children's Commissioner for Northern Ireland in 200506.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People has an annual budget of approximately 1.9 million. The estimated spend per head of child population in Northern Ireland in 200506 will be around 4.

Community Care Packages

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) residential, (b) nursing home and (c) domiciliary community care packages were provided in the Province in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The number of (a) residential, (b) nursing home and (c) domiciliary community care packages in effect in each of the last 10 years is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  (a) Residential (b) Nursing Home (c) Domiciliary Number of community care packages in effect 
		
		
			 2004 4,682 7,292 7,041 19,015 
			 2003 4,511 7,382 7,110 19,003 
			 2002 3,985 6,153 7,221 17,359 
			 2001 3,877 5,882 6,828 16,587 
			 2000 3,483 5,381 6,621 15,485 
			 1999 3,344 5,106 6,306 14,756 
			 1998 3,044 4,872 6,026 13,942 
			 1997 2,603 4,307 6,581 13,491 
			 1996 2,386 3,699 6,095 12,180 
			 1995 1,699 2,822 4,864 9,385 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures show a snapshot at 31 March for each year, and refer to care managed packages.
	2. Data for 2004 are provisional and may be subject to change.

Community-based Health Professionals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of providing community-based health professionals in the Province with hand-held computers.

Angela Smith: The use of hand-held computers by community-based health and social care professionals has been identified as an essential element of the requirements for the Person-centred Community Information System (PCIS). Each of the 10 trusts planning to procure and implement PCIS has made significant provision in their local implementation planning for the introduction of hand held technology.
	Trust management and professional staff have identified a number of significant benefits that should arise from the use of hand held technologies including; the ability to access high quality information where and when it is needed; more timely capture and sharing of information; and reduction in professionals' time spent travelling to their base to access or record data, leading to more time with patients/clients.

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of administration in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is detailed as follows:
	
		
			 Core DHSSPS Amount ( million) 
		
		
			 200001 28.5 
			 200102 29.8 
			 200203 32.6 
			 200304 33.8 
			 200405 (Estimate) 34.6

Digital Hearing Aids

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients were waiting for digital hearing aids in the Province (a) on 1 January and (b) at the latest available date.

Angela Smith: This information is not available centrally.

Disabled Children

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance his Department is providing to the families of children with disabilities.

Angela Smith: Health and Social Services Trusts provide a range of mainstream and specialist Health care services for children with disabilities and their families, including diagnostic and assessment services, family support services, respite services, day care services and befriending schemes. These services are met through the child health, child learning and physical/sensory disability programmes of care.
	The Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 gives carers the right to an assessment of need and empowers trusts to supply services directly to carers to help them in their caring role.

Disabled Children

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce multidisciplinary inter-specialty combined screening for disabilities amongst children.

Angela Smith: A range of newborn screening programmes is already in operation. In addition, there are screening tests used when specific conditions are suspected. The Department has recently adopted the recommendation of the Hall 4 Health for All Children Report on child health screening and surveillance, which was prepared by a multidisciplinary working group of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and which has been endorsed by the National Screening Committee.

Eating Disorders

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what services there are in the Province for those with eating disorders.

Angela Smith: Health and social services trusts provide a range of services largely through generic mental health, primary care and acute services. For complex cases the option of extra contractual referral to services outside Northern Ireland is available.
	A Regional Eating Disorders Working Group was established in June 2003 to take forward the recommendations of the Eating Disorders Consultation document. This work is being progressed through a number of subgroups and will lead to the establishment of a regional eating disorders service.

Emergency Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of providing (a) ambulance and (b) fire services in the Province was in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 16 November 2004, Official Report, columns 1352W and 1361W.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on plans for out-of-hours GP cover in the Kilkeel and Annalong areas from 1 January 2005.

Angela Smith: From 1 January 2005 statutory responsibility for the provision of general practitioner out-of-hours services will transfer to health and social services boards. The Southern Health and Social Services Board, in considering the provision of out-of-hours cover for the Kilkeel/Annalong area has sought to address access difficulty by investigating the provision of out-posted GP services, developing a nurse led minor injury unit in Kilkeel and making transport available to those without access to private transport.
	The board has advised that prior to 6 December 2004, out-of-hours services in the Kilkeel/Annalong area, were provided by GPs who work in the area and residents did not have access to the out-of-hours centre which is situated in Newry. However, from 6 December the population of Kilkeel/Annalong has access to the full range of services provided by the out-of-hours centre.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the superannuation contribution of staff employed in family doctor practices will be provided through the practice global sum under the new general practitioner contract.

Angela Smith: The global sum for practices in Northern Ireland includes an element to enable practices to cover the employer's superannuation contribution and that element was calculated on a contribution level of 5 per cent.

Health and Personal Social Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the expenditure per head of population in the Province on health and personal social services was in the last year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The public expenditure on all health and personal social services per head of population in the Province for the 200304 financial year was 1,706.

Health and Social Services

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to evaluate the role of local health and social services care groups, with particular reference to the participation of general practitioners.

Angela Smith: The Department has commissioned an evaluation of the development of Local Health and Social Care Groups. This should be completed early in 2005.

Health and Social Services

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on the creation of Local Health and Social Services Care Groups.

Angela Smith: The annual administrative costs of the 15 Local Health and Social Care Groups have been fixed at 3 per head of population covered since the Groups were established in June 2002. The annual cost to the Department is 5.3 million.

Health Expenditure

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) general practitioner consultations, (b) eye tests and (c) prescription items were provided in the province (i) in the last year for which figures are available and (ii) (A) five (B) 10 and (C) 15 years previously.

Angela Smith: The information as requested is as follows.
	
		(a) General practitioner consultations
		
			 Financial year Number (thousand) 
		
		
			 20034 7,567 
			 199899 6,514 
			 199394 n/a(18) 
			 198889 3,739 
		
	
	(18) Data not available from the archived database or for the years either side.
	
		(b) Eye tests
		
			 Calendar year Number (thousand) 
		
		
			 2003 339 
			 1998(19) 236 
			 1993 169 
			 1989(20) 115 
		
	
	(19) Refers to the 199899 financial year (April 1998 to March 1999).
	(20) 1988 figures not available.
	
		(c) Prescription items(21)
		
			 Calendar year Number (thousand) 
		
		
			 2003 26,399 
			 1998 22,516 
			 1993 18,660 
			 1989(22) 15,628 
		
	
	(21) Excludes private prescriptions.
	(22) 1988 figures not available.

Health Service Agency Staff

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the level of expenditure in the Province on Health Service agency staff in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		Expenditure in Northern Ireland on Health and Social Services agency staff
		
			  000 
		
		
			 199899 5,065 
			 19992000 8,901 
			 200001 13,357 
			 200102 16,281 
			 200203 22,119

Home Help Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals have received home help services in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The number of individuals in receipt of home help services in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Persons in receipt of home help 
		
		
			 2004 26,408 
			 2003 26,339 
			 2002 26,948 
			 2001 28,182 
			 2000 27,844 
			 1999 28,115 
			 1998 28,016 
			 1997 28,646 
			 1996 30,347 
			 1995 29,430 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures refer to the position at 31 March each year. Figures for 2004 are provisional and may be subject to change. The data include persons in receipt of home care as well as home help, as the service provided by the Trusts normally includes both components. Persons who receive home help/home care as part of an intensive domiciliary care package are excluded from the figures. This information is published each year in Community Statistics, which is available in the Northern Ireland Assembly Library and also on the DHSSPS website.

Hospital-acquired Infection

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his latest estimate is of the cost in a year of hospital-acquired infections to the Province's health service.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

Hospital-acquired Infection

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure that MRSA is cited on death certificates for all deaths in which it has been a contributory factor.

Angela Smith: Guidelines on completing death certificates are included at the front of every book of death certificates, and no certificates are available without these instructions. Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation on the completion of death certificates requires only those conditions that contribute directly to death to be recorded. The recorded cause of death may be the underlying disease or injury with MRSA infection noted as a contributory factor.
	The General Register Office classifies the cause of death and contributory factors using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). ICD does not have a specific code for MRSA. The World Health Organisation recently recommended introducing codes for antibiotic resistance to the ICD from 2006. This should allow death caused by or contributed to by MRSA to be more easily identified.

Housing

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account is taken of claims of intimidation in applications for social housing in Northern Ireland; what assessment has been made of (a) the level of applications which claim intimidation and (b) the time scale for applications which claim intimidation; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: Where an allegation of intimidation due to sectarianism, paramilitarism or racism is confirmed and the applicant is considered eligible for housing and homelessness assistance, that person's name will be placed on the waiting list for re-housing with an additional 200 intimidation points. Upon being re-housed such applicants will be entitled to claim an intimidation grant of 692 to enable them to resettle in their new home. In the first six months (April to September) of the current financial year 556 applications for re-housing were made due to intimidation and of these 207 were accepted. Figures for the last two financial years show a decrease in such claims. The Housing Executive has set a performance target to fully assess 95 per cent. of all homelessness applications, (including those from applicants claiming intimidation), within 33 days. In the year to date 97 per cent. of all homelessness applications have been fully assessed within the target. The Housing Executive treats seriously all requests for housing assistance from those claiming to have been intimidated from their homes and investigates these before accepting the request.

Junior Doctors

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of training junior doctors in the Province was in the last year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: Junior doctors, by definition are doctors in training. Training of junior doctors takes place in a work-based environment and is an integral part of service delivery to patients. In addition to this form of training junior doctors also attend training courses and are entitled to claim study leave.
	During the financial year 200304, the last year for which figures are available, the expenditure for study leave for junior doctors in training totalled 1,195,598.

Looked-after Children

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of looked after children in the Province are fostered.

Angela Smith: The latest available information indicates that 64.5 per cent. of looked after children are in foster care placements.

Meningitis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in the Province have been diagnosed with meningitis in each month in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The number of patients in the Province diagnosed with meningitis in each month of the last five years is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			 Month and year Number of patients diagnosed with Meningitis (confirmed and probable cases) 
		
		
			 December 1999 24 
			 January 2000 46 
			 February 2000 12 
			 March 2000 10 
			 April 2000 22 
			 May 2000 15 
			 June 2000 9 
			 July 2000 8 
			 August 2000 17 
			 September 2000 24 
			 October 2000 10 
			 November 2000 19 
			 December 2000 16 
			 January 2001 9 
			 February 2001 11 
			 March 2001 15 
			 April 2001 16 
			 May 2001 5 
			 June 2001 17 
			 July 2001 12 
			 August 2001 6 
			 September 2001 16 
			 October 2001 10 
			 November 2001 3 
			 December 2001 11 
			 January 2002 15 
			 February 2002 17 
			 March 2002 18 
			 April 2002 13 
			 May 2002 8 
			 June 2002 7 
			 July 2002 12 
			 August 2002 5 
			 September 2002 10 
			 October 2002 7 
			 November 2002 11 
			 December 2002 10 
			 January 2003 9 
			 February 2003 14 
			 March 2003 9 
			 April 2003 14 
			 May 2003 3 
			 June 2003 12 
			 July 2003 11 
			 August 2003 10 
			 September 2003 6 
			 October 2003 5 
			 November 2003 11 
			 December 2003 12 
			 January 2004 11 
			 February 2004 3 
			 March 2004 6 
			 April 2004 10 
			 May 2004 11 
			 June 2004 9 
			 July 2004 10 
			 August 2004 4 
			 September 2004 9 
			 October 2004 10 
			 November 2004 9 
		
	
	Notes:
	Information is based on enhanced surveillance of meningococcal disease notifications supplemented by laboratory reports.
	Approximately 65 per cent. of cases each year in NI are laboratory confirmed.
	Data for July to November 2004 are provisional and may be subject to change.
	Source:
	Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre

Mental Health Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of new Crisis Response and Assertive Outreach mental health services in the Province on the level of hospital admissions.

Angela Smith: In the Northern Board area, the Crisis Response and Assertive Outreach teams were established on 1 April 2003 and are the subject of a two-year evaluation. However, early figures show a 39 per cent. reduction in hospital admissions over a 12-month period. Crisis Response and Assertive Outreach services in other Board areas have not been developed to the same extent yet and although they would be expected to reduce pressures on acute psychiatric inpatient beds, it would not be feasible to carry out a comprehensive assessment of this until staff recruitment is completed and the services are more fully established.

Multiple Sclerosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the provision of beta interferon and glatiramer for multiple sclerosis in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Disease modifying treatments for people with multiple sclerosis have been available in Northern Ireland since the mid-1990s. At 4 November 2004 there were 540 people with multiple sclerosis receiving disease modifying treatments such as beta interferon or glatiramer, with a further 20 people suspended from treatment. There were 65 people on the waiting list for treatment.
	My Department remains committed to improving access to specialist drugs, including beta interferon and glatiramer, which offer the potential for significant improvement in patient care. Substantial additional funding has been made available to Health and Social Services Boards for a wide range of specialist medicines and the infrastructure to support their provision. This year, Health and Social Services Boards will spend an estimated 4.5 million providing specialist drugs to MS sufferers.

Necrotising Fasciitis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of necrotising fasciitis there were in each of the last five years; and what steps he has taken to limit the number of cases of necrotising fasciitis in the Province.

Angela Smith: The number of cases of necrotising fasciitis is not collected centrally.
	Trusts have infection control measures in place that help to limit the number of cases. These include the use of isolation wards, treatment for the close family of patients, tissue viability nurses who specialise in improving wound management, and the implementation of CREST guidelines on wound management.
	Further CREST guidelines on the management of cellulitis, which will address necrotising fasciitis in more detail, are currently being developed.

NHS (Treatment Eligibility)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what checks on citizenship and permanent residence are carried out by the national health service in Northern Ireland on patients presenting for medical treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: All persons presenting to a GP practice for emergency or immediately necessary medical treatment are entitled to receive such treatment free of charge, regardless of citizenship or length of residence. In relation to non-emergency medical treatment, or medical treatment that is not immediately necessary, a GP will have to be satisfied that the person can be considered as ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland before accepting the person onto the practice list for NHS treatment. If the GP is not sure of the residence status, the person is referred to the Central Services Agency for a decision on entitlement and the issue of a medical card.
	Anyone who presents to a hospital accident and emergency department requiring emergency medical treatment will receive appropriate, hospital, specialist and ancillary services will be provided to all regardless of citizenship or length of residence. For any person not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland who becomes ill when in Northern Ireland, services will be made available to the extent deemed necessary by the medical practitioner concerned with the treatment of that person to enable them to return to their country of residence.

NHS Dentistry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many whole-time equivalent dentists are employed within the NHS in the Province; and how many there were (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years ago.

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows.
	
		Dentists(23) 1994 to 2004(24)
		
			  Headcount(25) 
		
		
			 2004 894 
			 1999 794 
			 1994 718 
		
	
	(23) Figures exclude Dental Assistants and any wholly private Dental Practitioners.
	(24) Figures include hospital and community based dentists.
	(25) Figures are not available for 1989.
	Note:
	Whole-time Equivalent figures are not available.

Prescriptions

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is being provided to elderly patients who no longer have their medications prescribed on a weekly basis; and if he will estimate the annual savings in the Province that will result from the recent policy to limit weekly prescribing of medications to patients.

Angela Smith: No action has been taken to limit weekly prescribing of medications to patients. That remains a clinical decision for the GP (or other qualified prescriber) based upon the patient's condition.
	Action was however taken recently to clarify the rules in the NI Drug Tariff with effect from 1 October 2004 under which it is appropriate for pharmacists to be paid Multiple Dispensing fees. This clarification was not aimed at making financial savings, but rather concerned with preventing inappropriate claims for Multiple Dispensing fees.

Priorities for Action

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the needs of families of children with disabilities are addressed in Priorities for Action 200506.

Angela Smith: Priorities for Action 200506 is currently under development. Its precise content will be decided in light of the Budget settlement, later this month. I expect to publish the document early in the new year.

Priority Treatment (Ex-service Personnel)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 24W, on priority treatment (ex-service personnel), if he will authorise boards and trusts in the Province to provide the same hospital treatment for ex-servicemen and women as has been available in England, Wales and Scotland since 1972.

Angela Smith: There are no plans at present to change the current arrangements whereby war pensioners access hospital services in Northern Ireland. I will be meeting with members of the Northern Ireland Veterans Association later this month to discuss the needs of ex-service personnel in Northern Ireland. This meeting will cover a range of issues and careful consideration will be given to any points raised by the association.

Psychiatry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals in the Province are waiting for assessment by child and adolescent psychiatry services.

Angela Smith: The most recent published waiting list data available shows the position at 30 September 2004, when 1,184 individuals in Northern Ireland were awaiting a first out-patient appointment in the child and adolescent psychiatry specialty.

Psychiatry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will assess the merits of re-structuring child and adolescent psychiatry services on a Province-wide basis.

Angela Smith: Policy and services for child and adolescent psychiatry services are currently being examined under the Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability (N.I.). The Review will recommend how future service delivery should be managed and funded.

Psychiatry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many in-patients are in the new Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Unit; and on what date the most recent patient was admitted.

Angela Smith: There are currently seven patients in the Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Unit. The last patient was admitted on 9 August 2004.

Psychiatry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Regional In-patient Adolescent Psychiatry Unit remains closed to admissions.

Angela Smith: As a result of current difficulties due to a shortage of clinical cover, the Regional In-patient Adolescent Psychiatry Unit remains closed to admissions. Boards and trusts are making every effort to care for existing in-patients and to re-open the unit for new admissions as soon as possible.

Toxin Pollution (River Strule)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the toxin responsible for the major fish kill on the River Strule, West Tyrone, discovered on 5 August, has been identified; what action has been taken to identify those responsible for the introduction of this toxin; what action has been taken to ensure the river is fully restocked after this incident; and what action is being taken to secure the future environmental integrity of the river system.

Angela Smith: The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) and the Loughs Agency (LA) investigated a fish kill in the River Strule which was reported on 5 August 2004. Preliminary investigations indicate that Omagh Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) was a significant factor in creating the conditions which caused a fish kill.
	Discussions involving officials from EHS, LA and Water Service in relation to the events of August 2004 have taken place and, not withstanding the final conclusions of the investigations into the causes of the fish kill, measures have been agreed to provide both an early warning of potential future problems on this stretch of the river and the means to prevent such events resulting in further fish kills.
	In addition, the Water Service is spending 7.5 million on the provision of a new WWTW for Omagh, which is designed to meet EHS and EU standards to protect the Strule, and which is planned for completion by October 2005.
	The Loughs Agency has responsibility to conserve and protect salmon stocks and inland fisheries of the Foyle region, and it is seeking compensation to undertake river improvement work to enhance the native salmon population. Salmon ova of the genetic type suitable for restocking the River Strule are not available, however the angling season on the river and its tributaries was closed on 13 Septembersome 38 days earlyto protect the remaining adult salmon stock in the river, thereby maximising the natural ova deposition in the area affected.
	The Loughs Agency, EHS and Water Service have undertaken to meet representatives of the local angling community before Christmas to discuss the investigation of the incident and the way forward.

Toxin Pollution (River Strule)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of pollution in the River Strule, West Tyrone, have been recorded in the last six years; whether those responsible for polluting the river on each occasion have been identified; and what action was taken against them in each case.

Angela Smith: From 1998 to 2003 there have been 242 substantiated incidents of water pollution in the River Strule. (The figures for 2004 have not yet been collated.) The records of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) indicate that 38 per cent. of the incidents were attributed to the Water Service, 21 per cent. to Farms and 21 per cent. to Industry; however 204 of the pollution incidents were assessed as having low impact on the river and only four incidents were judged to be of high impact.
	A range of enforcement tools is available to EHS regulatory staff, including warning letters, enforcement and prohibition notices, and prosecution. During this period, EHS has taken enforcement action in relation to 14 of the pollution incidents which have affected the River Strule, ie, nine warning letters have been issued and five prosecutions have been taken under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. Fines imposed by the courts have ranged from 300 to 3,000.
	Water Service has Crown Immunity, and as such cannot be prosecuted under the Water Order. However, all incidents of pollution where Water Service have been identified as the polluter are passed to Water Service for remedial action, and the discharges from their WWTWs are subject to regulatory standards .

Wounds

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his latest estimate is of the cost incurred in a year in the Province from dressing wounds.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available centrally.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol-related Violence and Disorder

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in tackling alcohol-related violence and disorder.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England was published on 15 March 2004 and contains a number of recommendations for, among other things, tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder. In implementing one of the Strategy's key recommendations, the Home Office's Police Standards Unit and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) led an Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC) over the summer from 8 July to 31 August.
	92 Basic Command Units representing 39 police forces in England and Wales and 46 Trading Standards departments participated in the campaign. Results from the campaign show that over 30,000 visits to licensed premises were conducted leading to over 1,200 offences being detected. Around 1,800 Test Purchase operations were conducted with over a third resulting in an offence being committed. Over 4,000 fixed penalty notices were issued and over 9,500 alcoholic containers were confiscated with more than one-third of these being confiscated from children.
	Prior to the start of the AMEC, the Home Office published Violent CrimeTackling Violent Crime in the Night-Time EconomyGuidelines and Tactical Options. The document set out a selection of successful initiatives that were readily transferable to police forces, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and local partners in helping to tackle alcohol-related violence and disorder.
	Following the campaign, a Lessons Learned document was published and launched at a joint Home Office and ACPO conference on 8 November. The document is intended to assist those who are responsible for the continued drive to tackle alcohol misuse and its associated harms in relation to crime and disorder. A second campaign will take place over the Christmas period from 17 December to 3 January 2005.
	The Government and the police are building on existing good crime-cutting work and developing best practice in the local areas and CDRPs that still have a high volume of violent crime. This strategy will develop further the work begun by the Government and police over the summer to tackle alcohol-related disorder.
	In addition, the Government have introduced new fixed penalty notice offences for selling alcohol to a person under 18, the purchase of alcohol for a person under 18 on licensed premises, consumption of alcohol by a person under 18, and allowing delivery of alcohol to a person under 18. These offences came into effect on 1 November. Local authorities have also introduced around 120 Designated Public Places Orders to help tackle anti-social drinking.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis was for point one of the Home Office response to 12 questions raised by Dan Lyons, Uncaged Campaigns, about Imutran xenotransplantation research licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Caroline Flint: The information relating to the deaths of animals used in moderate procedures in the Imutran xenotransplantation research licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 was drawn from progress reports provided by Imutran Limited and other documents examined during the course of the Home Office Chief Inspector's review of compliance with the project licence authorities granted to Imutran Limited staff for the research.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether lethal endpoints were expected in (a) project licence authorities and (b) other communications between his Department, the Animal Procedures Committee and Imutran xenotransplantation procedures with a moderate severity limit.

Caroline Flint: The possibility that animals would die in the course of the Imutran xenotransplantation studies licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 was considered and humane endpoints were set to require action to be taken before any such deaths, and to minimise any suffering caused. Permission was neither sought by Imutran Limited, nor granted, for procedures requiring death as the endpoint, other than as the result of humane killing.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what infringement action has been taken under section 6(6) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 against (a) named day-to-day care persons and (b) named veterinary surgeons employed by Huntingdon Life Sciences, in respect of failures to make arrangements for the care or destruction of primates in Imutran xenotransplantation procedures where breaches of the moderate severity limit occurred as identified at paragraph 5.14 of the Chief Inspector's compliance review.

Caroline Flint: None. The infringement described in paragraph 5.14 of the then Chief Inspector's review of compliance with the project licence authorities granted to Imutran Limited staff for its xenotransplantation research related to a delay in implementing the agreed humane endpoint for a procedure applied to protected animals. Responsibility for this was considered to rest with the project license holder and with the personal licensees, who were also clinicians. In mitigation, the licensees' decisions were based upon clinical judgment, rather than undisputed or unambiguous facts and the Chief Inspector's view was that they did not indicate any fundamental disregard for the welfare of the animals. The infringement was dealt with by means of letters of admonishment to those responsible.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the unpublished documents on which he based his assessment that moderate severity limits had not been broken during xenotransplantation research by Imutran; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: A wide range of material was considered during the review carried out by the then Chief Inspector of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate in assessing compliance with the severity limits of the Imutran xenotransplantation research licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This included the relevant project licence and personal licence files, Animal Procedures Committee papers, correspondence with and reports supplied by Imutran Limited, correspondence between the Home Office and others, Imutran study documents, internal memoranda and reports, draft and final reports and other documents maintained at the designated place at which the studies were carried out, laboratory results, records maintained by the veterinary surgeons and animal care staff, operational notes and clinical records maintained by personal and project licence holders, and other papers prepared or kept by Imutran staff. Many of the documents and records were examined at the designated place or Imutran Limited premises and copies have not beenretained by the Home Office. As far as we are aware only part of the material has been published. A detailed list of unpublished documents held by the Home Office is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the species was of each primate in procedures of moderate severity as part of the Imutran xenotransplantation programme found dead (a) in the peri- and post- surgical period, (b) having suffered significant clinical findings and (c) at (i) five, (ii) seven and (iii) 22 days; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: All of the animals were cynomolgous macaques.

Anti-social Behaviour Act

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crack houses have been closed under the provisions of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, broken down by local authority.

Hazel Blears: Data is not readily available by local authority. Closure orders by Government Office region for the period 20 January to end September 2004 are as follows.
	
		
			 Region Closure orders 
		
		
			 East of England 5 
			 South east 23 
			 South west 24 
			 East Midlands 10 
			 West Midlands 3 
			 North west 13 
			 North east 7 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 4 
			 Wales 5 
			 London 64 
			 Total 158

Anti-social Behaviour Act

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been imposed in (a) the Greater London area and (b) the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last two years.

Hazel Blears: The available information, up to 30 June 2004 (latest available), is given in the table.
	
		The number of ASBOs issued in Greater London, at all courts, as reported to the -- Home Office, by area, in which restrictions are imposed, and period.
		
			 Area 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004(26) Total 
		
		
			 Greater London 38 183 221 
			 of which
			 Wandsworth London borough  8 8 
		
	
	(26) Latest available

Anti-social Behaviour Act

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were (a) accepted and (b) rejected by each court area in each year since their introduction.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in tables A and B.
	
		Table A: The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office,from 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2004 (latest available)England and Wales
		
			 From 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002(28) 
			 Type of court/area From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(27) From 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000 From 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 On application On conviction 
		
		
			 Magistrates court committee (MCC)/police force area 
			 Avon and Somerset 9 3 15 7  
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 4 4  
			 Cambridgeshire 5 1 2 2  
			 Cheshire 0 0 2 13  
			 Cleveland 1 4 4 5  
			 Cumbria 1 1 1 13  
			 Derbyshire 3 7 6 2  
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 0 10 1  
			 Dorset 0 2 2 0  
			 Durham 0 4 9 8  
			 Essex 0 0 0 2  
			 Gloucestershire 0 2 2 1  
			 GLMCA/Metropolitan Police(29) 9 19 13 19  
			 Greater Manchester 10 2 24 77 1 
			 Hampshire 1 2 4 9  
			 Hertfordshire 1 1 9 6  
			 Humberside 0 9 4 4  
			 Kent 0 3 17 16  
			 Lancashire 5 5 8 13  
			 Leicestershire 1 4 0 1  
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 2 1  
			 Merseyside 8 3 7 22  
			 Norfolk 6 0 12 7  
			 Northamptonshire 0 2 6 1  
			 Northumbria 8 5 9 16  
			 North Yorkshire 4 0 7 0  
			 Nottinghamshire 1 4 11 1  
			 South Yorkshire 3 1 7 16  
			 Staffordshire 0 4 6 12  
			 Suffolk 3 0 4 5  
			 Surrey 0 2 2 2  
			 Sussex 3 4 3 16  
			 Thames Valley 1 1 7 6  
			 Warwickshire 0 1 2 15  
			 West Mercia 5 7 39 29  
			 West Midlands 11 28 43 23  
			 West Yorkshire 4 2 14 14  
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 1  
			 England 104 133 317 390 1 
			   
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0  
			 Gwent 0 0 2 2  
			 North Wales 0 1 0 7  
			 South Wales 0 1 3 3  
			 Wales 0 2 5 12 0 
			   
			 Total E and W MCC/pfa 104 135 322 402 1 
			   
			 County Court Group  
			 Midland and Oxford Group 4 * * *  * 
			 Midland Group 1 * * *  * 
			 Northern Groups 1 and 2 * * *  * 
			 North Eastern Groups 3 and 5 * * *  * 
			 South East (London) Groups 1 and 2 * * *  * 
			 South East (Prov.) Groups 1, 3, 4, 5 * * *  * 
			 Wales and Chester Groups 2 and 3 * * *  * 
			 Western Group 3 * * *  * 
			 Total E and W County Court Group * * *  * 
			   
			 Crown Court Circuit  
			 Midland * * * * * 
			 Northern * * * * * 
			 North Eastern * * * * * 
			 South Eastern London * * * * * 
			 South Eastern Provincial * * * * * 
			 Wales and Chester * * * * * 
			 Western * * * * * 
			 Total E and W Crown Court Circuits * * * * * 
			   
			 Total all courts England and Wales 104 135 322 402 * 
		
	
	
		
			  From 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003 From 1 January 2004 to  30 June 2004 
			 Type of court/area On application On conviction On application On conviction Total 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2004 
		
		
			 Magistrates court committee (MCC)/police force area 
			 Avon and Somerset 2 15 3 19 73 
			 Bedfordshire 5 8 1 3 25 
			 Cambridgeshire 12 2 2 8 34 
			 Cheshire 18 10 6 14 63 
			 Cleveland 12 1 7  34 
			 Cumbria 2 11 4 5 38 
			 Derbyshire 2 2 2 8 32 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 4  10 29 
			 Dorset 4  6 2 16 
			 Durham 10 2 11 4 48 
			 Essex 7 6 4 12 31 
			 Gloucestershire 4 1 4 3 17 
			 GLMCA/Metropolitan Police(29) 51 42 30 72 255 
			 Greater Manchester 123 66 83 72 458 
			 Hampshire 17 8 12 10 63 
			 Hertfordshire 7 5 3 15 47 
			 Humberside 4 2 6 7 36 
			 Kent 7 8 4 10 65 
			 Lancashire 18 20 20 18 107 
			 Leicestershire 1 1  4 12 
			 Lincolnshire  4  1 8 
			 Merseyside 34 3 14 13 104 
			 Norfolk 5  7 6 43 
			 Northamptonshire 1  7 3 20 
			 Northumbria 4 12 4 4 62 
			 North Yorkshire 5 1 2 6 25 
			 Nottinghamshire 8 6 4 16 51 
			 South Yorkshire 19 9 12 10 77 
			 Staffordshire 5 19 4 11 61 
			 Suffolk 8 12  23 55 
			 Surrey 3 1 13 1 24 
			 Sussex 18 3 19 15 81 
			 Thames Valley 6 5 9 11 46 
			 Warwickshire 9 2 7 4 40 
			 West Mercia 20 5 9 9 123 
			 West Midlands 19 49 8 31 212 
			 West Yorkshire 70 9 101 27 241 
			 Wiltshire 3 2 1 3 10 
			 England 546 356 429 490 2,766 
			   
			 Dyfed Powys 2 9 1 4 16 
			 Gwent 2 3 5 2 16 
			 North Wales 3 8 1 7 27 
			 South Wales 14 15 2 11 49 
			 Wales 21 35 9 24 108 
			   
			 Total E and W MCC/pfa 567 391 438 514 2,874 
			   
			 County Court Group  
			 Midland and Oxford Group 4  * 3 * 3 
			 Midland Group 1  * 1 * 1 
			 Northern Groups 1 and 2 2 * 2 * 4 
			 North Eastern Groups 3 and 5  * 2 * 2 
			 South East (London) Groups 1 and 2 1 * 1 * 2 
			 South East (Prov.) Groups 1, 3, 4, 5 2 * 4 * 6 
			 Wales and Chester Groups 2 and 3 1 * 2 * 3 
			 Western Group 3 3 * 1 * 4 
			 Total E and W County Court Group 9 * 16 * 25 
			   
			 Crown Court Circuit  
			 Midland * 9 * 19 28 
			 Northern * 31 * 31 62 
			 North Eastern * 5 * 11 16 
			 South Eastern London * 0 * 8 8 
			 South Eastern Provincial * 10 * 9 19 
			 Wales and Chester * 1 * 4 5 
			 Western * 9 * 23 32 
			 Total E and W Crown Court Circuits * 65 * 105 170 
			   
			 Total all courts England and Wales * 641 * 559 3,069 
		
	
	(27) From 1 April 1999 up to 31 May 2000 data were collected by police force area on aggregated numbers only.
	(28) Following introduction of the Police Reform Act ASBOs are available to the courts following conviction of a criminal offence.
	(29) Including City of London.
	
		Table B: The number of applications for antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) refused at the magistrates court, as reported to the Home Office from 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2004 (latest available)England and Wales
		
			 MCC/police force area (pfa) From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(30) From 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000 From 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 Cleveland  1  
			 Cumbria
			 GLMCA/Metropolitan Police(31)  2 3 
			 Greater Manchester
			 Hampshire   2 
			 Kent
			 Lancashire
			 Merseyside 4   
			 Norfolk   1 
			 Suffolk   1 
			 Sussex  1  
			 Thames Valley
			 West Midlands  1  
			 West Yorkshire
			 Wiltshire   4 
			 
			 Total England and Wales 4 5 11 
		
	
	
		
			 MCC/police force area (pfa) From 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 From 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003 From 1 January 2004 to 31 June 2004 Total 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2004 
		
		
			 Cleveland   1 2 
			 Cumbria 1   1 
			 GLMCA/Metropolitan Police(31) 2 2  9 
			 Greater Manchester 1 4  5 
			 Hampshire  1 1 4 
			 Kent 4   4 
			 Lancashire   2 2 
			 Merseyside  1  5 
			 Norfolk1 
			 Suffolk1 
			 Sussex1 
			 Thames Valley  1  1 
			 West Midlands1 
			 West Yorkshire 1   1 
			 Wiltshire4 
			  
			 Total England and Wales 9 9 4 42 
		
	
	(30) From 1 April 1999 up to 31 May 2000 data were collected by police force area on aggregated numbers only.
	(31) Including City of London.
	Note:
	No notifications have been received of ASBOs refused at the county court.

Anti-social Behaviour Act

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been made by the courts in England and Wales in each year since December 1999, broken down by magistrates court area.

Hazel Blears: Available information on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, by court area, is given in the table.
	
		The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, from 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2004 (latest available). -- England and Wales
		
			 Type of court/area From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(32) From 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2000 From 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 From 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 From 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003 From 1 January 2004 to 30 June 2004 Total April 1999 to 30 June 2004 
		
		
			 Magistrates Courts Committee/police force area 
			 Avon and Somerset 9 3 15 7 17 22 73 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 4 4 13 4 25 
			 Cambridgeshire 5 1 2 2 14 10 34 
			 Cheshire 0 0 2 13 28 20 63 
			 Cleveland 1 4 4 5 13 7 34 
			 Cumbria 1 1 1 13 13 9 38 
			 Derbyshire 3 7 6 2 4 10 32 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 0 10 1 7 10 29 
			 Dorset 0 2 2 0 4 8 16 
			 Durham 0 4 9 8 12 15 48 
			 Essex 0 0 0 2 13 16 31 
			 Gloucestershire 0 2 2 1 5 7 17 
			 GLMCA/Metropolitan Police(33) 9 19 13 19 93 102 255 
			 Greater Manchester 10 2 24 78 189 155 458 
			 Hampshire 1 2 4 9 25 22 63 
			 Hertfordshire 1 1 9 6 12 18 47 
			 Humberside 0 9 4 4 6 13 36 
			 Kent 0 3 17 16 15 14 65 
			 Lancashire 5 5 8 13 38 38 107 
			 Leicestershire 1 4 0 1 2 4 12 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 2 1 4 1 8 
			 Merseyside 8 3 7 22 37 27 104 
			 Norfolk 6 0 12 7 5 13 43 
			 Northamptonshire 0 2 6 1 1 10 20 
			 Northumbria 8 5 9 16 16 8 62 
			 North Yorkshire 4 0 7 0 6 8 25 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 4 11 1 14 20 51 
			 South Yorkshire 3 1 7 16 28 22 77 
			 Staffordshire 0 4 6 12 24 15 61 
			 Suffolk 3 0 4 5 20 23 55 
			 Surrey 0 2 2 2 4 14 24 
			 Sussex 3 4 3 16 21 34 81 
			 Thames Valley 1 1 7 6 11 20 46 
			 Warwickshire 0 1 2 15 11 11 40 
			 West Mercia 5 7 39 29 25 18 123 
			 West Midlands 11 28 43 23 68 39 212 
			 West Yorkshire 4 2 14 14 79 128 241 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 1 5 4 10 
			 England 104 133 317 391 902 919 2,766 
			 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 11 5 16 
			 Gwent 0 0 2 2 5 7 16 
			 North Wales 0 1 0 7 11 8 27 
			 South Wales 0 1 3 3 29 13 49 
			 Wales 0 2 5 12 56 33 108 
			 Total E and W magistrates courts 104 135 322 403 958 952 2,874 
			 
			 County court group 
			 Midland and Oxford Group 4 * * * *  3 3 
			 Midland Group 1 * * * *  1 1 
			 Northern Groups 1 and 2 * * * * 2 2 4 
			 North Eastern Groups 3 and 5 * * * *  2 2 
			 South East (London) Groups 1 and 2 * * * * 1 1 2 
			 South East (Prov) Groups 1,3,4,5 * * * * 2 4 6 
			 Wales and Chester Groups 2 and 3 * * * * 1 2 3 
			 Western Group 3 * * * * 3 1 4 
			 Total E and W county courts * * * * 9 16 25 
			 Crown court circuit 
			 Midland * * * * 9 19 28 
			 Northern * * * * 31 31 62 
			 North Eastern * * * * 5 11 16 
			 South Eastern London * * * * 0 8 8 
			 South Eastern Provincial * * * * 10 9 19 
			 Wales and Chester * * * * 1 4 5 
			 Western * * * * 9 23 32 
			 Total E and W Crown court * * * * 65 105 170 
			 Total all courts England and Wales 104 135 322 403 1,032 1,073 3,069 
		
	
	(32) From 1 April 1999 up to 31 May 2000 data were collected by police force area on aggregated numbers only.
	(33) Including City of London.

Anti-social Behaviour Act

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been made on (a) under-16 year olds, (b) 18 to 21 year olds and (c) those aged 21 years or over, broken down by sex, in each of the financial years since April 2000; and what percentage of those orders have been breached.

Hazel Blears: Information is given in table A on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued, as reported to the Home Office, by age, sex and financial year.
	The readily available information on ASBO breaches covers the period from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2002. This is given in table B. Data on breaches up to the end of 2003 will be available in the near future.
	
		Table A: The number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders issued, as reported to the Home Office, by age, sex and period  -- England and Wales
		
			  Age 1015 Age 1617 Age 1820 
			  Male Female Persons Male Female Persons Male Female Persons 
		
		
			 1 June 2000 to 31 March 2001 69 3 72 27 4 31 29 1 30 
			 1 April to 31 Mar ch 2002 109 1 110 81 2 83 43 3 46 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 136 8 144 119 10 129 48 6 54 
			 1 Apr il 2003 to 31 March 2004 270 26 296 289 23 312 200 16 216 
			 Total 584 38 622 516 39 555 320 26 346 
		
	
	
		
			  Age 21 and over Age not known Total all 
			  Male Female Persons Male Female Persons ages and not known 
		
		
			 1 June 2000 to31 March 2001 45 15 60 15 5 20 213 
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 46 26 72 9 1 10 321 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 112 39 151 10 7 17 495 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 397 117 514 2 3 5 1,343 
			 Total 600 197 797 36 16 52 2,372 
		
	
	(34) Data for the period from 1 April to 31 May 2000 is not available by age or sex.
	
		Table B: The number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders issued, as reported to the Home Office, by age and sex, in the period from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 20021, and the number breached in the same period -- England and Wales
		
			  Age 1015  Age 1617 Age 1820 
			  Male Female Person Male Female Person Male Female Persons 
		
		
			 ABSOs issued 266 9 275 191 12 203 103 9 112 
			 ASBO breached 103 3 106 72 5 77 34 6 40 
			 Breach rate(per cent.) 39 33 39 38 42 38 33 67 36 
		
	
	
		
			  Male Age 21 and over Female Persons Male Age not known Female Persons Total all ages and not known 
		
		
			 ASBOs issued 155 68 223 34 13 47 860 
			 ASBOs breached 50 19 69 10 3 13 305 
			 Breach rate (per cent) 32 28 31 29 23 28 35 
		
	
	Note:
	Breaches are counted on a persons basis, i.e multiple breaches (occurring at the same time), or where the order has been breached on more than one occasion, are counted as one breach.

Community Safety (Funding)

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) national and (b) regional funding streams which (i) local authorities, (ii) town and parish councils and (iii) other local organisations with an interest in promoting community safety in Kent Thameside are eligible to apply to for assistance in funding (A) youth shelters, (B) sports systems and (C) other facilities and diversionary activities for young people.

Hazel Blears: Home Office funding which promotes community safety is channelled through Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), of which local authorities, town and parish councils and other organisations can be members. Community safety funding is drawn from the Building Safer Communities (BSC) and Basic Command Unit (BCU) funds. Both funds were introduced in 200304 to run for three years.
	The Basic Command Unit fund is provided to the police and amounts to 150 million over three years. The Kent Thameside area falls within the North Kent Basic Command Unit, which received 180,598 this year from the BCU fund.
	The Building Safer Communities fund is provided to CDRPs; totalling 72.3 million in 200304, and 74 million in 200405. The two CDRPs which comprise the Kent Thameside area, Dartford and Gravesham, received 163,437 and 164,635 respectively this year.
	The main funding streams supported by other Government Departments which also assist with the activities described are the Department for Education and Skills' Children's Fund; the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund; the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's funds which are channelled through Sport England and its regional sports boards; and the cross departmental programme Positive Activities for Young People. In addition, the Big Lottery also provides funding through its Young People's Fund.

Community Safety Officers (West Midlands)

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the application from West Midlands police for funds for community safety officers (CSOs) for 200405 to 200607 included an indication of where CSOs would be deployed.

Hazel Blears: Deployment of police officers and police staff, including community support officers (CSOs) is an operational matter for chief officers of police. The recent application on behalf of West Midlands Police Authority for funding for additional CSOs under the first round of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund, indicated that the additional CSOs would be deployed primarily in urban areas, within a neighbourhood policing team model.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 18 October (Ref: M15239/4).

Caroline Flint: I replied to the hon. Member on 30 November 2004.

Crime

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answers of 2 November 2004, Official Report, columns 19192W, on crime, if he will provide the figures for each year between 1997 and 200304.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the tables. Clear-up rates for all offences in the York CDRP are not available centrally.
	
		Table 1: Clear-up rates for Yorkshire and the Humber199798 to 200102
		
			 Percentage 
			 Period Yorkshire and the Humber region North Yorkshire York CDRP 
		
		
			 199798 27 26  
			 199899(35) 28 33  
			 19992000 24 31  
			 200001 24 30  
			 200102 21 26  
		
	
	'' Not available.
	(35) Figures for offences cleared up are affected by changes to the detections counting rules in 199899.
	Note:
	The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: Clear-up rates for Yorkshire and the Humber200203 and 200304 -- Percentage
		
			 Period Yorkshire and the Humber region North Yorkshire York CDRP 
		
		
			 200203 21 26  
			 200304 21 28  
		
	
	'' Not available.
	(36) The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 2 November, Official Report, columns 19192W, on crime, how many (a) crimes, (b) burglaries, (c) thefts and (d) vehicle-related crimes were reported to the police (i) in Yorkshire and the Humber and (ii) in North Yorkshire in each year since 1999.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is given in the tables.
	
		Table 1, Recorded Offences in Yorkshire and the Humber and North Yorkshire19992000 to 200102
		
			 Number of offences 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 Period Recorded crimes Burglaries Thefts1 Vehicle crimes 
		
		
			 19992000 566,933 133,940 241,586 164,474 
			 200001 545,950 125,786 229,444 157,144 
			 200102 610,223 139,044 254,416 123,614 
			 North Yorkshire 
			 19992000 53,554 10,402 24,326 13,315 
			 200001 51,551 9,829 22,796 12,274 
			 200102 59,149 11,658 25,191 8,176 
		
	
	(37) Excludes vehicle crime.
	Note:
	The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2, Recorded Offences in Yorkshire and the Humber and North Yorkshire200203 and 200304
		
			 Number of offences 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 Period Recorded crimes Burglaries Thefts(38) Vehicle crimes 
		
		
			 200203 675,383 142,997 271,360 127,529 
			 200304 680,467 121,175 258,505 115,899 
			 North Yorkshire 
			 200203 67,798 11,595 28,590 9,642 
			 200304 71,473 11,062 29,406 9,516 
		
	
	(38)Excludes vehicle crime.
	Note:
	The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of crimes reported to the police in Pendle were cleared up in (a) 1996 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Information on crimes cleared up in Pendle is not collected centrally. Pendle comes within the Pennine Basic Command Unit (BCU). Information at BCU level has only been collected from 19992000 onwards so figures for 1996 are not available centrally. The clear-up rate for 200304 in the Pennine BCU was 27 per cent.

Crime

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) crimes, (b) burglaries, (c) thefts and (d) vehicle-related crimes were reported to the police in Pendle in (i) 1996 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Pendle is a Crime and Disorder Partnership (CDRP) area within the Lancashire police force area. Information at CDRP level has only been collected from 19992000 onwards so figures for 1996 are not available centrally.
	The latest published information shows that there were 9,248 offences recorded in Pendle in 200304. Of these, 1,540 were burglaries and 3,015 were thefts. Of those thefts, 1,234 were thefts of or from a vehicle.

Crime

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of domestic violence have been reported to the police in (a) Pendle and (b) Lancashire in each year since 2000.

Hazel Blears: Domestic violence is not separately identified in the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.
	However, the British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely collects data on the prevalence and number of incidents of domestic violence in England and Wales from the main 'face-to-face' part of the survey.
	The BCS is unable to provide information at either the police force area or the more local level requested. The available information is for the North West Region as follows:
	
		BCS incident rates of domestic violence per 10,000 adults in the North West Region
		
			  
		
		
			 200102 97 
			 200203 93 
			 200304 61

Crimes Against Young People

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances of crime against young people have been recorded in each year since 1997, broken down by category of crime.

Hazel Blears: The information is not available in the form requested. With the exception of certain offences where the age is specifically identified, the age of the victim is not collected in the recorded crime series.
	Those offences in the series where a young person can be identified are:
	Child destruction
	Cruelty or neglect of children
	Abandoning a child under the age of two years
	Child abduction
	Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 or 16
	Gross indecency with a child
	Trends for these offences are published in Table 2.04 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 'Crime in England and Wales 200304' HOSB 10/04. A copy of this publication is available in the Library and on the Home Office website.

Drivers (Mobile Phones)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a free phone number that members of the public can ring to give the car registration numbers of those drivers who break the law on using mobile phones while driving.

Caroline Flint: I have no plans to do so. It is however always open to anyone to assist and support the police by reporting any apparent criminal incident to them for such action as may be appropriate.

Drivers (Mobile Phones)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the appropriate authorities should take when a member of the public makes a complaint against a driver who was using a mobile phone while driving.

Caroline Flint: The police will take such action as they deem appropriate in the light of the information provided.

Drivers (Mobile Phones)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions members of the public who see drivers using mobile phones while driving should take.

Caroline Flint: It is open to members of the public to report such incidents to the police together with any relevant details and supporting evidence they are able to supply.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe on Monday 29 November 2004, column 10W.

Fingerprinting

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the impact of the Police Standards Unit's role in the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System programme.

Hazel Blears: The Police Standards Unit (PSU) plays an important role in driving the effective use of National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). The Home Office has invested approximately 150 million in the system and the PSU has a team working within the police service to ensure the best use is made of this investment. This includes making recommendations on the working practices of fingerprint officers using, to those on setting force policy for LiveScan, which scans and transmits fingerprints directly to the system. The PSU is working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to implement these recommendations nationally.
	The unit also has an important NAFIS performance-monitoring role that is essential to drive usage and challenge those that are not making enough use of it. Since 2003, when the reporting commenced, there has been an increase in identifications from recently arrested persons of nearly 80 per cent. The PSU reports progress on usage of the system to Ministers quarterly.
	In addition, the PSU acts as a consultant to promote the use of NAFIS in individual forces and ensure that the efficiency benefits of the system are maximised.
	NAFIS became fully operational nationally in 2001. The system provides more than 4,000 fingerprint identifications a month and it makes a significant contribution to the number of detections.

Firearms

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications there have been for (a) shotgun certificates and (b) firearms certificates in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Number (rounded) 
			  Applications for grant of new Shotgun Certificates Applications for renewal of Shotgun Certificates 
			  Applications(39) Granted Refused Applications Granted Refused Shotgun certificates on issue at 31 December(40) 
		
		
			 1993 31,550 31,100 450 195,990 195,800 190 681,100 
			 1994 32,640 32,200 440 201,540 201,400 140 670,000 
			 1995 25,160 24,800 360 196,030 195,900 130 653,800 
			 1996 26,300 25,800 500 193,330 193,100 230 638,000 
			 1997 21,180 20,800 380 174,670 174,500 170 623,100 
			 1998 17,280 16,900 380 6,660 (41)6,600 60 627,600 
			 1999 16,040 15,600 440 2,510 (41)2,500 10 625,700 
			 2000 18,550 18,200 350 141,580 141,300 280 602,500 
			 2001 23,070 22,700 370 162,710 162,400 310 577,200 
			 2002 25,950 25,600 350 153,000 152,700 300 559,000 
			 200203 26,450 26,100 350 125,460 125,200 260 561,800 
		
	
	(39) Includes estimates made centrally for a small number of forces.
	(40) Figures for 200203 are at 31 March 2003.
	(41) The extension of the period for the certificates from three years to five years in 1995 meant that no renewals were due in 1998 and 1999. These are delayed applications from 1997.
	
		Table 2
		
			 Number (rounded) 
			  Applications for grant of new Firearm Certificates Applications for renewal of Firearm Certificates 
			  Applications(42) Granted Refused Applications Granted Refused Firearm certificates on issue at 31 December(42) 
		
		
			 1993 11,020 10,900 120 37,470 37,300 170 138,400 
			 1994 11,820 11,700 120 38,030 37,900 130 140,200 
			 1995 11,010 10,900 110 38,610 38,500 110 141,700 
			 1996 10,360 10,200 160 38,220 38,100 120 141,900 
			 1997 6,920 6,800 120 32,880 32,800 80 133,600 
			 1998 6,010 5,900 110 1,610 (43)1,600 10 131,900 
			 1999 5,090 5,000 90 253 (43)250 3 132,300 
			 2000 5,980 5,900 80 26,290 26,200 90 125,400 
			 2001 7,180 7,100 80 31,410 31,300 110 119,600 
			 2002 8,680 8,600 80 28,890 28,800 90 117,700 
			 200203 8,670 8,600 70 25,170 25,100 70 118,600 
		
	
	(42) Figures for 200203 are at March 2003.
	(43) The extension of the period of the certificates from three years to five years in 1995 meant that no renewals were due in 1998 and 1999Those shown are delayed applications from 1997.

Fireworks Act

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been given to the police to ensure that the provisions in the Fireworks Act 2003 are enforced, with particular reference to people who set off fireworks after curfew hours.

Hazel Blears: We have a comprehensive and robust package in place to tackle the misuse of fireworks. The Fireworks Regulations 2004 came into force in August and in October we extended the Penalty Notices for Disorder Scheme (PND) to include three new firework offences. Breach of the fireworks curfew is one of these new PND offences. The new PNDs allow police to punish offenders immediately by issuing on-the-spot fines and offer an additional disposal that has been widely welcomed by police forces across the country.
	I was keen to ensure all relevant agencies were aware of the new arrangements. In early October I wrote to all chief constables to provide guidance ahead of the fireworks season and to ensure the new arrangements were made an integral part of their fireworks strategies. We have published a TOGETHER fact sheet on the misuse of fireworks and this has been widely distributed to practitioners. DTI are also in regular contact with individual police forces and other enforcement agencies, such as Trading Standards, to provide advice on the Fireworks Regulations 2004. They expect to publish comprehensive guidance shortly.
	Early indications show that the new powers are being used effectively to tackle the misuse of fireworks

Road Traffic Offences

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the review of road traffic offences undertaken by John Holliday will be published; and what factors determine the timing of its publication.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The review has largely been completed, but there are a number of very difficult issues under consideration which require careful scrutiny before a consultation paper can be published. We intend to publish the consultation paper shortly.

Knives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to (a) increase the penalties for carrying knives in public and (b) bring forward proposals for revising the sentencing guidelines to magistrates and judges in such cases; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: We are currently considering what more need be done to tackle knife-related crime. This includes reviewing the current legislation and penalties to deal with knives and other offensive weapons.

Metropolitan Police (Travel Allowances)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan Police officers have been investigated since June 2001 for improper use of travel allowances; how many officers have been disciplined since June 2001 for improper use of travel allowances; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police informs me that, since June 2001, two officers have been investigated for improper use of travel allowances. These two investigations did not result in formal disciplinary action being taken against the officers.

Police

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Nottinghamshire in each of the last 20 years.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Nottinghamshire police
		
			 As at 31 March: Number of police officers 
		
		
			 1984 2,229 
			 1985 2,150 
			 1986 2,210 
			 1987 2,226 
			 1988 2,252 
			 1989 2,298 
			 1990 2,316 
			 1991 2,336 
			 1992 2,331 
			 1993 2,327 
			 1994 2,328 
			 1995 2,319 
			 1996 2,318 
			 1997 2,323 
			 1998 2,323 
			 1999 2,225 
			 2000 2,204 
			 2001 2,212 
			 2002 2,330 
			 2003 2,411 
			 2004 2,484 
			 2004 (31 August) 2,523

Police

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dedicated traffic police officers there have been in each year since 200102, broken down by region; and what percentage of the total number of police officers these figures represent, broken down by region.

Hazel Blears: Published information on police strength by police force area is available for rank, gender, ethnicity but not function. Published information on police strength by region is available for total strength. Figures on police strength for March 2004 were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 13/04, copies of which are available in the Library or on the internet site: http://www.homeoffice.gov:uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html.

Police Advice Bodies

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to ensure consistency between advice given to the Police by (a) the National Centre for Policing Excellence, (b) the National Policing Improvement Agency, (c) the Police Science and Technology Unit, (d) Police Powers and Leadership Unit and (e) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Hazel Blears: The various bodies concerned with delivering improved policing outcomes work together to ensure that consistent advice is provided to the police. The Police Leadership and Powers Unit (PLPU) works closely with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Consistency with the National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE) is ensured by PLPU's role as the sponsor unit for CENTREX, the national police-training provider, of which the NCPE is a directorate.
	The 'Improving Performance through Applied Knowledge' (IPAK) programme of work, led by the Police Standards Unit, is aimed at improving the development and dissemination of good practice in the policing community. This includes working approaches to avoid overlaps or gaps between the work of stakeholder organisations, including the NCPE, HMIC, and PLPU. In the field of science and technology, a consistent approach is co-ordinated through the Police Science and Technology Strategy Group, which is chaired by the Director of Policing Policy in the Home Office. This group includes the director of the NCPE, the heads of the Science Policy and the Information Communications Units, and a senior representative from HMIC. The Group will also include an appropriate representative from the National Policing Improvement Agency when the detailed composition and scope of the Agency has been agreed.
	Finally, an important driver behind the Improvement Agency will be to rationalise the number of bodies that provide advice and assistance to the police service, thereby further ensuring consistency. The details of this are still being considered.

Police Authority Funding

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned on whether the efficiency targets for police authorities of 3 per cent. from next year, including cashable savings of 1.5 per cent. are attainable.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The efficiency target for the police service was set in the Spending Review 2004 taking account of the Efficiency Review carried out by Sir Peter Gershon. It takes into account the police service's very good record of achievement of average efficiency gains of 2.6 per cent. per year from 19992000 to 200304.
	The Home Office, the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers have worked together to develop an efficiency strategy for the service. They are committed to work in partnership to deliver cumulative year-on-year improvements in the value for money obtained from expenditure on the police service in pursuit of the very challenging targets set in SR 04.
	An efficiency strategy implementation group is leading work to determine priorities for making efficiency gains, including in corporate service functions, such as human resource management and finance. A working group led by the Association of Police Authorities has already identified opportunities for substantial gains to be achieved through better procurement of goods and services.
	A key element of the strategy is to increase the proportion of time which police officers spend on front-line policing. In 200304 the average proportion of officer time spent on front-line duties for all forces was 63.6 per cent.; the range between forces was from 53.8 per cent. to 70.2 per cent. Increasing the average to around 72.5 per cent. would deliver nearly half of the efficiency target.
	Bureaucracy reduction, exploiting new technology, more effective deployment of officers and more effective use of support staff will all help to increase the amount of front-line policing. A recent report, commissioned by the Home Office from Accenture, indicates the potential to improve the efficiency with which officers are rostered for duty.

Police Detention Powers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has issued on the police exercise of stop and account not resulting in a search; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The Home Office issued the 'Recording of stops Implementation guide' to forces in March 2004. In July 2004, the Stop and Search Action Team (SSAT) issued interim guidance, as well as two further reports'The views of the public on the phased implementation of recording police stops' and 'An evaluation of the phased implementation of the recording of police stops'. A guidance table on recording responsibilities was issued via the police reform bulletin on in November 2004.
	Forces have been encouraged to feed back on this guidance to fully inform SSAT's work. A stop and search manual containing all available information from the SSAT workstreams will be issued to forces in 2005.

Police Numbers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female police officers were serving in the London borough of Wandsworth on 1 November; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The latest available information on police service strength in police force basic command units was published online on 29 September 2004 along with Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04. It showed that there were 612 full-time equivalent police officers in Wandsworth on 31 March 2004. Police officer strength for Basic Command Units is not available by gender.

Police Paperwork

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the evidence of the Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing, Community Safety and Counter-Terrorism to the Home Affairs Select Committee of 26 October, on what research his estimate of the number of items of police paperwork reduced since 1997 was based; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The research was undertaken by North Yorkshire Police who contacted all forces to establish how many forms each had made redundant.

Police Training

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what competencies police recruits are trained at the police training college in Hendon.

Hazel Blears: Police recruits at the Metropolitan police training centre, Hendon, are currently trained under the competency headings of community, operations, arrest, detention and prosecution, information technology and self development, relationships and safety. Attainment of the required standards is measured through knowledge tests and simulated exercises.
	The Metropolitan Police Service is also one of the pilot forces for the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme. Under this programme, probationers will be assessed against 22 national occupational standards, and a full range of competencies.

Police (Lewisham)

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were deployed in the Lewisham, Deptford constituency in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) 2004.

Hazel Blears: The Lewisham Deptford Parliamentary constituency is part of the Lewisham Borough Operational Command Unit (OCU). Information on strength at OCU level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on OCU strength is only available from 2002. The available information for the Lewisham OCU for March 2002 to March 2004 is set out in the table. It is not possible to provide police numbers at constituency level.
	
		Lewisham Borough Operational Command Unit
		
			 As at 31 March: Number of Police Officers 
		
		
			 2002 595 
			 2003 571 
			 2004 625 
		
	
	The deployment of officers to OCUs is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Sir John Stevens QPM) and within the Lewisham Borough OCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Borough Commander. The OCU is additionally supported by centrally provided services from the Territorial Policing Pan London Units and by specialist investigation units.

Police (Lewisham)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in securing voluntary contributions towards the cost of policing disorder from the alcohol industry as set out in the Government's Alcohol Strategy.

Hazel Blears: We are currently developing proposals on the most effective administration arrangements for the voluntary funds to tackle alcohol-related harms as recommended in the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England. We are developing these proposals in close consultation with the industry. We remain committed to making the voluntary approach work, but we will review the level of contribution and impact early in the next Parliament and consider further measures, including legislation, if necessary.

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prison officers and (b) non-uniformed prison staff were working in HM Prison Service on 1 November.

Paul Goggins: On 1 November there were (a) 24,376 prison officers, senior officers and principal officers and (b) 24,244 other prison staff working in HM Prison Service. These two figures represent the total staffing of the public sector Prison Service but include 7,371 operational support grades and 1,284 nurses who would, like officer grades, be expected to wear a uniform.
	Non-uniformed staff carry out a range of functions, covering operational management, chaplaincy, psychology, industrial work, administration, catering and farms and gardens.
	Figures are stated on a headcount basis.

Seizure of Property

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the seizure of servers belonging to Indymedia, what statutes govern the seizure of private property in the UK by foreign law enforcement agencies without authorisation from UK law enforcement agencies.

Caroline Flint: Foreign law enforcement agencies are permitted to seek the seizure of private property in the UK to secure evidence in connection with a criminal investigation, by sending a request to the UK Central Authority (UKCA) at the Home Office through mutual legal assistance procedures under the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The UKCA considers such requests in conjunction with the appropriate UK law enforcement agency. If the request is approved UKCA will then issue a direction to the courts on behalf of the Secretary of State authorising an application for a search warrant.
	In this particular case, I understand that, in accordance with a US Commissioner's subpoena, a US based company accessed its servers in London from the US, in order to comply with the terms of that subpoena. No UK law enforcement agencies were involved in this action.

Sex Offenders

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of sex offenders are participating in Home Detention Curfews.

Paul Goggins: There are currently no offenders on Home Detention Curfews (HDC) who are serving a sentence for a sexual offence. Prisoners subject to the registration requirements of Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 (now replaced by Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) are statutorily excluded from the scheme and all other prisoners convicted of a sexual offence are presumed unsuitable for release on HDC.

Special Constables

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what competencies special constables are trained; where the training takes place; and how long it lasts.

Hazel Blears: Special constables are trained within their force. Forces are responsible for ensuring that their specials receive the necessary training to enable them to undertake their duties. Duration varies depending on the resources and organisation of individual training departments, but also reflecting the voluntary nature of the special constabulary, whose members often have full or part-time work commitments.
	We have been working to produce a competency based role profile, training and appraisal packages, and a national vocational qualification through a Champions Initiative project in South Wales police(the Specials Professional Development Scheme. South Wales police are currently trialling the training scheme.

Street Crime

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to collect data on the ethnicity of those who are (a) stopped and (b) arrested under joint multi-agency street crime operations.

Hazel Blears: The police already collect data on the ethnicity of those searched or arrested for all offences, including under joint multi-agency street crime operations, and by April 2005 all forces will be required to record such data for stops as well.

Terrorism Act (Searches)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) vehicles and occupants were searched under section 44(1) and (b) pedestrians were searched under section 44(2) of the Terrorism Act 2000 in each police force area of England and Wales in 200304; and how many (i) arrests and (ii) prosecutions resulted.

Hazel Blears: The statistics for 200304 are not yet available. They are due to be published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, in mid-December 2004. Statistics relating to race will be published in Home Office Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System in January 2005.
	The statistics will show the number of stop-searches and the number of resulting arrests under both the Terrorism Act and other legislation. The statistics for charges and convictions are not cross-referenced with the searches and arrests in this way and could be collated and verified only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on arrests, charges and convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 are available on the Home Office website.

TETRA Airwave Project

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has carried out on the potential health risks related to the introduction of the TETRA Airwave project for police forces in England.

Caroline Flint: Following the publication of the Stewart Report Mobile Phones and Health in May 2000, we took expert advice from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)'s independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) on the health and safety aspects of TETRA technology. The AGNIR experts suggested a number of areas where further research would be useful. These suggested have been taken forward as follows:
	The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is assessing the effects of TETRA on various types of cell. Dstl has concluded that TETRA has no effect on calcium exchanges in cells. Further work on epileptiform activity and cognitive performance is under way;
	Imperial College is carrying out a long-term health monitoring study of police users of Airwave;
	The Universities of Birmingham and Manchester are looking at patterns of use of Airwave among police users;
	Microwave Consultants Ltd. (MCL) has been looking into Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) levels from TETRA equipment. MCL have found that SAR level from hand-held and hands-free equipment are within international safety limits. Work on SAR levels in vehicles is under way;
	The NRPB has completed additional work on modelling SARs.
	The Radiocommunications Agency (now part of Ofcom) checked emission levels from TETRA base stations.
	In addition we are funding research on TETRA as an adjunct to the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme. Studies funded under this arrangement are selected and managed by the MTHR Programme Management Committee. These studies include the Burden Neurological Institute's examination of possible effects of microwave radiation on the electrical activity of the brain and the University of Bradford's study of possible non-linear and demodulation mechanisms in biological tissue.
	These extensive studies have so far found no evidence of any particular risk to health from TETRA.
	Further details of the Home Office's programme can be found at www.policereform.gov.uk/implementation/tetra/index.html and of the MTHR programme at: www.mthr.org.uk.

TETRA Airwave Project

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has conducted research into the potential health risks for users of the TETRA system.

Caroline Flint: We commissioned a number of research projects to study the health and safety effects of TETRA technology following the recommendations of the National Radiological Protection Board's independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation. No adverse effects have been identified to date.

TETRA Airwave Project

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces use the TETRA system.

Caroline Flint: Airwave, the new police radio system, is currently available to 42 police forces in England, Wales and Scotland. The number of users of Airwave continues to increase and at present the system has around 85,000 users.

TETRA Airwave Project

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding adverse health conditions consequent on use of the TETRA system.

Caroline Flint: The Police Federation has been, and continues to be, involved in the implementation of the Home Office's programme of research into the health and safety aspects of TETRA technology. Requests for further information from individual forces and federations have been dealt with as they arose.

Wildlife Crime

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in each police authority area in England and Wales are assigned to tackling wildlife crime.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally. The latest information on police service strength for March 2004 was published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04, Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2004.